Do you know of a member of our community who makes outstanding contributions to the people, places and spirit of Lithgow?
You can now nominate them for an award through the annual Lithgow Community Service and Leadership Awards.
Nominations are open from 1 September 2026 and close on 27 November 2026.
Nominations are then assessed by a group of community representatives and award winners are acknowledged as part of the Australia Day celebrations in January 2027.
All nominees will receive a letter of acknowledgement from the Mayor of Lithgow.
The award categories for the Lithgow Community Service and Leadership Awards 2027 are:
Volunteers and paid workers in care or community service industries providing extraordinary leadership, commitment and support to the people of Lithgow.
In this category, adults aged 25 years and older, who have made a significant contribution to the success or leadership of any project, group or organisation can be nominated.
The award will preference volunteers but is open to nominations of people in paid roles who have also made an outstanding local impact.
Young people make huge contributions to our local community. They may not have the experience to lead from the front, but they do lead in many ways, through service, through advocacy, through caring, and through supporting one another.
This category has a focus on any person aged between 12 and 24 who has made a significant voluntary contribution to a project or organisation which led to positive outcomes for other people within the community of Lithgow.
The award recognises the emerging and aspiring leaders of Lithgow and to elevate the value young people who contribute to our community.
One of the notable strengths of regional and rural communities is that people come together in times of difficulty as well as times of celebration and joy.
The Community Group of the Year award highlights the leadership of voluntary community groups which foster social capital and build community resilience within the community of Lithgow.
This may include volunteer groups which, for example, undertake place-making work, promote local history and heritage, fight bush fires, respond to accidents, protect the environment, build social connection, provide material aid and create opportunities for young people..
Lithgow is home to communities with rich and diverse interests and cultures. From First Nations cultural lines to our industrial and agricultural history, sporting prowess and growing creative industries, there is a lot to celebrate.
This award showcases the exciting and increasingly diverse range of events, driven and hosted by local community organisations and groups.
Nominations are welcomed for events held between December 2025 and November 2026.
Eligibility
- All people nominated for individual recognition must either live, work, or own a business within the Lithgow LGA
- All community groups or organisations nominated must be based within the Lithgow LGA
- Nominations for the emerging leader category must be for persons aged between 12 and 24 years of age on 27 November 2026
- Lithgow City Council staff can be nominated where the award nomination is related to their contributions to community outside their paid role within Council.
Ineligibility
- Elected representatives of Council, State or Federal governments are ineligible for nomination.
- Lithgow City Council produced events, such as Halloween or the Seven Valleys Wild Food Festival are ineligible for nomination.
- Should community members who have volunteered to participate in the assessment panel for the awards be nominated, either as an individual or a key member of a group, they will be offered the opportunity to step down from the assessment panel or forfeit nomination for the award
- Lithgow City Council staff who are associated with the department which delivers the Lithgow Community Service and Leadership Awards, cannot be nominated for an award, even for local voluntary contributions.
If you have any questions regarding the awards, please email the Community and Culture team a community@lithgow.nsw.gov.au