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2014 Awards for ºÚÁÏ´óÊÂ Excellence

The 2014 national winners for the Awards for ºÚÁÏ´óÊÂ Excellence were announced on 18 March 2014

Congratulations to our 2014 National winners

Commemorative Awards e-book

2014 Awards for ºÚÁÏ´óÊÂ Excellence


Created with . Photography by Candice Quartermain

2014 awards for planning excellence

Gala Awards night applauds planning excellence

The ºÚÁÏ´óÊÂ Institute’s National Awards for ºÚÁÏ´óÊÂ Excellence have wrapped up for another year, marked by a rousing celebration of the planning profession’s stand-out achievements on Sydney’s stunning waterfront.

With the conclusion of this year’s Awards round a new muster of inspirational leaders is set to spur innovation within the planning profession.

Each year the State and National Awards shine a spotlight on the profession’s stand-out performers, showing the world what good planning can achieve, and highlighting the value of leading-edge planning to the wider community. This year was no exception, and the diversity of projects and individuals acknowledged was a feature. Projects ranged from the broad and sweeping – such as cities strategy – all the way through to the neighbourhood level.

The calibre of projects entered into this year's awards was outstanding; throughout the year we will be
featuring these exemplar projects across a range of PIA publications, in recognition of their excellence
and as inspiration for prospective entrants into next year's Awards.We also congratulate those
individuals recognised at last week’s Gala Awards Dinner:

Senator Scott Ludlam, honoured with the ºÚÁÏ´óÊÂ Champion Award for his active engagement in
planning and his advocacy of many of the issues that the ºÚÁÏ´óÊÂ Institute promotes;
Tim Sneesby, a PIA Graduate Member from New South Wales conferred with the Outstanding
Achievement by a Young Planner Award for his early and significant contribution to the profession;
Alexander (Sandy) Rix, bestowed the prestigious Planner of the Year Award for his wealth of experience
and his countless achievements across the diverse world of planning; and
Associate Professor Phil Heywood for his lifetime contribution to the planning profession.

On behalf of PIA members, the Board and staff we congratulate these individual winners, as well as all of
those people engaged in the winning and commended projects celebrated at last week’s gala event.
PIA again thanks our major Awards sponsors, including our Gold Partner Village Building, Silver Partner
the Attorney General’s Department, and category sponsors NSW ºÚÁÏ´óÊÂ & Infrastructure, MWH
Global, MacroPlan Dimasi, and Stockland.


Participating in the Awards makes an enormous contribution to the profession. It also recognises the hard work of your entire team, and is testament to your team’s dedication to the principles of good planning. The diversity of Awards categories is such that anyone from any sphere of the planning profession can enter. So put your thinking cap on and put your best foot forward. Refer to the PIA website in the coming months for details on closing dates for the Awards in your local jurisdiction.

You can download a commemorative publication detailing all the night’s winners and commendations and to see pictures from the night.


About the Awards

The intention of the Awards for ºÚÁÏ´óÊÂ Excellence is to emphasise the important role of the planning profession, and to stimulate public awareness of good planning.

The National Awards for ºÚÁÏ´óÊÂ Excellence are the only Australia-wide mechanism for formally commending planners for professional excellence and obtaining peer and public recognition for their work.

Entries that merit an award demonstrate a contribution to liveable communities, excellence in planning and recognition of the triple bottom line of economic, social and environmental sustainability.

Each year the state and territory Divisions of the ºÚÁÏ´óÊÂ (PIA) hold Award programs enabling them to acknowledge excellence, innovation and achievement of the planning profession locally.

All Division Award winners are eligible for and are automatically entered into, the National Awards for ºÚÁÏ´óÊÂ Excellence. The National Awards program consists of 12 award categories. Most state and territory Award categories align directly the National Awards.

The objective of the Awards Program is to:

  • Foster a high standard of planning through the recognition of planning excellence in every state and territory
  • Publicly acclaim those in each state and territory whose contribution to planning is outstanding; and
  • Identify nominations for the National Awards for ºÚÁÏ´óÊÂ Excellence
  • Present the winners with the Awards at the annual PIA National Congress.

Previous Winners

State Project Title
QLD Jo Pocock
SA Alexander Rix
NSW Sean O'Toole


Outstanding Achievement by a Young Planner Award

State Project Title
QLD Brittany Lauga
SA Tammie Hamilton
VIC Gareth Hately
NSW Tim Sneesby
WA Dane Gaunt
ACT Lauren Hendriks

From Plan to Place

State Project Title Nominee/Project Team
QLD Santos GLNG: Integrated Project Housing Strategy Santos GLNG, Buckley Vann Town ºÚÁÏ´óÊÂ Consultants, Briggs & Mortar Pty Ltd
WA Cockburn Central LandCorp, Cardno, Urbis

The Hard Won Victory Award

State Project Title Nominee/Project Team
QLD Blackwood Street Affordable Housing (BHC) Brisbane Housing Company, Buckley Vann Town ºÚÁÏ´óÊÂ Consultants
NSW NBN Fixed Wireless Project Daly International, Ericsson
WA Scheme Amendment No 92 - Bushfire Prone Areas City of Cockburn

Outstanding Student Project

State Project Title Nominee/Project Team
QLD Browns Plains Centre Strategic Plan 2033 UQ Jessica Crane, Christina Hill, Michelle Squires, Hayden Gianarakis, Brylee English, Genevieve Denny - The University of Queensland
SA A Temporary City: Temporary Use as a Tool for Urban Design in the Creation of Convival Urban Space University of South Australia Hannah Shaw
VIC Bad Reputation - A study of the development assessment process in a growing metropolitan city RMIT University Brendan McRae
NSW Regulating Urban Design : A comparative study of knockdown rebuild University of NSW Laura Schmahmann
QLD An investigation into traffic congestion and safety issues identified at Kenmore intersection Stuartholme School Evlyn Menzies

Best ºÚÁÏ´óÊÂ Ideas Small Project

State Project Title Nominee/Project Team
QLD Kowanyama Aboriginal Shire Council ºÚÁÏ´óÊÂ Scheme Kowanyama Aboriginal Shire Council, Buckley Vann Town ºÚÁÏ´óÊÂ Consultants, AECOM, Department of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and Multicultural Affairs
SA The "Foods for Life" Parklet and the Adelaide Parklet Program Adelaide City Council, Foods For Life and Troppo Architects
TAS Place and Placement - Urban Design Principles for emerging UTAS urban sites Leigh Woolley Architect
NSW Dee Why Town Centre Master Plan PLACE Design Group , Warringah Council, Jones Lang LaSalle, Godden Mackay Logan, Elton Consulting
WA Curtin University Place Activation Program Place Match

Best ºÚÁÏ´óÊÂ Ideas Large Project

State Project Title Nominee/Project Team
QLD Rural ºÚÁÏ´óÊÂ Project - ºÚÁÏ´óÊÂ for Healthy Agriculture Queensland Farmers’ Federation and Queensland Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
SA Medium Density Project City of Onkaparinga
VIC South West Victoria Landscape Assessment Study Planisphere, Department of Transport, ºÚÁÏ´óÊÂ and Local Infrastructure (DTPLI)
NSW Newcastle Urban Renewal Strategy NSW ºÚÁÏ´óÊÂ & Infrastructure, City of Newcastle Council
WA POS Tool Centre for the Built Environment and Health - University of Western Australia

Improving ºÚÁÏ´óÊÂ Processes and Practices Award

State Project Title Nominee/Project Team
QLD State Assessment and Referral Agency (SARA) Department of State Development, Infrastructure and ºÚÁÏ´óÊÂ, Regional Services Group and ºÚÁÏ´óÊÂ & Property Group
SA Two Wells Residential Growth Framework District Council of Mallala, Hickinbotham Group and Connor Holmes (A Fyfe company)
VIC BAL Plan iPad Application Alpine Shire Council, Book & Black
NSW Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Management Development Toolkit Shellharbour City Council
WA 3D City model - The Evolution of ºÚÁÏ´óÊÂ into the Next Dimension City of Perth

Public Engagement & Community ºÚÁÏ´óÊÂ Award

State Project Title Nominee/Project Team
QLD Brisbane Open House - Unlock your City Brisbane Open House, Brisbane Development Association, Office of the Queensland Government Architect, National Trust of Queensland
SA Kerb Ramp & Footpath Community Consultation

City of Salisbury

VIC Community Engagement on Future Living City of Melbourne
NSW North West Rail - Stakeholder and Community Engagement Transport for NSW (North West Rail Link)
WA Karawara POS Masterplan & Collaborative Action Plan City of South Perth, UDLA

Great Place Award

State Project Title Nominee/Project Team
QLD Surfers Paradise Foreshore Redevelopment Major Projects Branch - City of Gold Coast, Aquenta Consulting, Place Design Group, Abigroup Contractors, RCP
TAS (Former) Kingston High School Development Plan Project Beca in partnership with Kingborough Council, Hill PDA, MGS Architects, Inspiring Place, Gandy &Roberts, Milan Prodonovich
WA Redevelopment of Forrest Place City of Perth, Woodhead, PlanE, BG&E
ACT Marcus Clarke Street Segregated Cycleway GHD Pty Ltd, Roads ACT

Cutting Edge Research and Teaching Award

State Project Title Nominee/Project Team
QLD Understanding Land Development Eddo Coiacetto, Discipline of Urban & Environmental ºÚÁÏ´óÊÂ, Griffith University
VIC The Democratic Plan: Analysis and Diagnosis Alan March - University of Melbourne
TAS Education for Climate Change Adaptation ºÚÁÏ´óÊÂ Julie Davidson and Anna Lyth, University of Tasmania
WA Evaluating the Implementation of the 'Liveable Neighbourhoods Design Guidelines' and Associations with Walking Behaviour Paula Hooper
ACT South East Coastal Adapation (SECA) Coastal Urban Futures in South East Aust University of Canberra (Canberra Urban and Regional Futures), Australian National University and University of Wollongong

Promotion of ºÚÁÏ´óÊÂ Award

State Project Title Nominee/Project Team
QLD Ideas Fiesta

Urban Renewal Brisbane, City ºÚÁÏ´óÊÂ and Economic Development, Brisbane City Council

SA Stephen Yarwood, The Lord Mayor of Adelaide Adelaide City Council
ACT The State of Australian Cities Reports (2010-2013) Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development
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