Destination Kāwaroa, led by Taranaki Foundation with Ngāmotu, Ngāti Te Whiti, NPDC and NP Partners, transformed Kāwaroa Park into an intergenerational play and learning space celebrating the area’s nature, culture and stories. Featuring sensory play, water and hill elements, accessible facilities, and learning linked to NZ curricula, it has become a thriving, free hub for connection, recreation and cultural engagement, attracting up to 2,000 daily visitors since August 2025.
Entry credits:
New Plymouth District Council
Thankyou to our award sponsor:
Beca
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Excellence in Placemaking
Rotorua Lakefront Redevelopment – creating a worldclass lakefront experience
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Rotorua has a rich history as one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s key tourism destinations, a title that our community has been proud to hold for many generations. Our unique natural
Award Year: 2024
Excellence in Environmental Leadership
Supreme Award
Pathways to the Sea Strategy – Ngā Rerenga ki te Moana
Waikato District Council
Waikato Regional Council’s Ngā Rerenga ki te Moana Strategy improves safe fish passage through flood infrastructure, especially pump stations that harm native tuna. Based on six years of research with
Award Year: 2026
Excellence in Organisation and People Development
Whangārei’s Organisational Strategy
Whangārei District Council
The Whangārei Organisational Strategy is a ground-up development to build a more inclusive, cohesive and effective organisation. The strategy had been driven (somewhat unusually) by the second and third tier
Award Year: 2021
