- Winners announced for the 2025 Western Australian Coastal Awards for Excellence
- Port Hedland's Kelly Howlett is 2025 Coast Champion winner
- Awards recognise outstanding contributions to the planning, protection and management of WA's coastline
North Coogee's modular engineered reef and a champion for Port Hedland's flatback turtles are among the winners in the 2025 Western Australian Coastal Awards for Excellence.
The awards celebrate outstanding achievements in the planning, management, and protection of the State's diverse and extensive coast.
Port Hedland's Kelly Howlett is this year's Coastal Champion award winner for her efforts in establishing the Care for Hedland Environmental Association and her work in protecting and securing the population of flatback turtles in Port Hedland.
The City of Cockburn's C.Y. O'Connor Beach Engineered Fringing Reef received the Coastal Management Award in recognition of its positive outcomes in reducing the impact of wave erosion and significantly increasing biodiversity.
UWA Oceans Institute won the Education, Engagement, Science and Research Award for its Rising Tides: Imagining Coastal Resilience program to engage and educate students and the community in envisioning future coastlines at Cockburn-Fremantle and Binalup/Middleton Bay.
Other winners include the City of Melville for their coastal restoration project at Melville Beach Road Foreshore and the City of Busselton for its storm surge risk mitigation efforts.
As stated by Planning and Lands Minister John Carey:
"I want to congratulate the winners of the 2025 Western Australian Coastal Awards for Excellence, who have been acknowledged for their work protecting and managing our unique coastal land and assets.
"All the nominees in this year's awards demonstrated a tireless commitment to preserving our world-renowned coastline for future generations."
As stated by the Environment Minister Matthew Swinbourn:
"Many Western Australians share a deep connection to our coastline, it's part of who we are.
"These awards highlight the incredible dedication of local communities, researchers, and volunteers who are working every day to protect and enhance our coastal environments to ensure they can be enjoyed for generations to come."
