Field of Dreams on cloud nine

The Field of Dreams Parklands has won the heritage and culture category for the Keep Australia Beautiful 2019 Queensland Sustainable Communities - Tidy Towns Awards.

The award recognises outstanding commitment to the conservation and celebration of a community’s heritage and culture.

It comes just after the Mackay Region Visitor Information Centre won a silver at the 2019 Queensland Tourism Awards and Sarina Sugar Shed won a gold and silver in its respective categories.

Mackay Tourism Chief Executive Officer Tas Webber, said it’s another great win for the region.

“The Sarina Field of Dreams Parklands is a fantastic complex,” Mr Webber said.

“The Sarina Art and Craft Centre, Sarina Sugar Shed, Sarina Historical Centre, Sarina Art Gallery and the state-of-the-art Mackay Region Visitor Information Centre are all outstanding attractions and make the Sarina Parklands a must-visit destination,” he said.

“Perfectly positioned as the gateway to the Mackay region, the Sarina Field of Dreams inspires thousands of visitors to discover the endless natural, cultural and heritage experiences of our region.”

Councillor Karen May said it was exciting to see the parklands facility recognised for sustainable practices.

“In late 2016, Mackay Regional Council, and the Queensland Government funded $3.45 million to embark on the innovative Sarina Field of Dreams Parklands project,” Cr May said.

“The project included the refurbishment and adaptive re-use of Sarina Passenger Railway Station to become the flagship Visitor Information Centre for the region,” she said.

“A key part of the project was keeping the rich history of the Sarina Railway Station, which is listed on the Queensland Rail heritage asset register, and dates back to 1913.

“Moveable heritage items like original railway benches and the installation of memory lane were also incorporated into the parkland design to celebrate Sarina’s rich heritage.”

The winners of the awards were announced last week at the Waste, Recycling Industry Association QLD AGM and Christmas lunch in Brisbane.

Running nationally since 1990, the Tidy Towns awards have evolved to encompass projects and initiatives with a focus on environmental sustainability and resource management to reflect a growing awareness of the importance of community-led environmental action.

The awards recognise the hard work undertaken by regional towns, councils, individuals and groups and share these best practices and ideas to continue to improve our vibrant rural towns.

Keep Australia Beautiful seeks to lead, challenge and inspire all Australians to strive for a sustainable and litter free environment.

The awards program commences with state and territory awards and culminates in a national grand final event.

Gympie was the overall winner of the awards and will represent the state at the national awards to be held in Alice Springs in April 2020.

To find out more about Sarina Field of Dreams Parklands and facilities, visit www.sarinafieldofdreams.com.au.