The team behind a project transforming a long-abandoned Warrnambool quarry into an open-air venue has been recognised as leaders in sustainability.
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Warrnambool Community Garden was announced community champion winner of the Sustainable Places and Destinations category at an award ceremony in Melbourne on Tuesday night.
The Premier's Sustainability Awards recognise leaders in the state's transition to towards net zero emissions, reducing waste and building climate-resilient communities.
The community group was recognised for its redevelopment of a long-abandoned, previously weed-infested quarry which, once complete, will be suitable for open-air events.
Project coordinator Bruce Campbell said it was amazing to take out the award.
"It's been a real community collaboration," he said.
"Warrnambool community garden get the award but there's a real range of authorities - Warrnambool City Council and Wannon Water - and local businesses who have contributed really generously to make this project happen."
The steep walls of the city's last sandstone quarry have been covered with native plantings, designed to provide food and shelter for flora and fauna, while other areas have been left exposed to showcase the geology the city was established on.
Mr Campbell said the amphitheatre would be an amazing event space for "all kind of things" with interest already received from music entrepreneurs and a future bride and groom.
He said the idea for the project started five to six years ago following consultations with both the Warrnambool Community Garden and wider community.
"The most popular idea was to shape it into an amphitheatre for a multi-purpose event," he said.
"From that initial concept we've had landscape architects and other experts turn the concept into the design which has now been implemented."
Project manager Geoff Rollinson said an enormous amount of work had gone into the project.
"At one stage three years ago this quarry was basically inaccessible," he said.
"It's been a really dramatic transformation over the time."
Mr Rollinson said hundreds of volunteer hours had gone into redefining the slopes and re-vegetation using native species.
He said future works also included the development of an environmental creek system utilising water-run from the neighbouring Wannon Water facility to be used for education sessions on waterways conservation.
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