How the City of Port Lincoln is using strategy, partnerships and evidence to deliver environmental action with real community value.

For many regional councils, the challenge of sustainability is not a lack of ambition. It is the question of how to turn big ideas into practical, affordable and lasting change.

At the City of Port Lincoln, that question has shaped a bold new chapter.

The Environmental Sustainability Program, delivered by the City of Port Lincoln Environment and Infrastructure Team, has transformed the way council approaches waste, water, energy, climate resilience and biodiversity. What began as a call from Elected Members and the community for stronger environmental action has grown into a strategic, evidence-led program attracting major funding, building partnerships and delivering tangible benefits for the region.

Now recognised with the Excellence in Environmental Leadership and Sustainability Award at the 2026 LG Professionals SA 25th Annual Leadership Excellence Awards, the program is proving that small regional councils can lead big environmental change.

Strategy before action

The project began with two clear priorities: stronger climate action and the need for a long-term waste and resource management strategy.

Rather than rushing into individual projects, council took the time to build the foundations first. Its first Environment and Sustainability Strategy and Waste and Resources Strategy helped identify the areas where council could make the greatest impact: emissions, waste, water security and climate resilience.

For project lead Sebastian Carr, Coordinator Environment and Sustainability, this was key.

“Rather than picking projects in isolation, those strategies helped us identify our biggest challenges first,” he explains.

That disciplined approach turned sustainability from a broad aspiration into a practical pipeline of projects, each supported by data, feasibility work and strong business cases.

Responding to community demand

Like many regional communities, Port Lincoln faces complex environmental pressures. Rising energy costs, waste management challenges, water security, climate adaptation and the protection of the natural environment all require careful planning.

As a remote regional centre, Port Lincoln also has to develop solutions that work within its own local context.

The community wanted practical action, but the answer had to be affordable and deliver long-term value. Council’s response was to focus on projects that could achieve environmental, financial and community benefits at the same time.

That shift changed the conversation. Instead of treating sustainability as an added cost, the program reframed it as an investment in the city’s future.

From strategy to delivery

The results have been significant. A kerbside three-bin FOGO pilot, supported by Green Industries SA, reduced kerbside landfill by 54 per cent and lifted diversion from around 16 per cent to more than 53 per cent. The strength of that evidence has now given council the confidence to proceed with a citywide rollout.

At the Port Lincoln Leisure Centre, council’s emissions inventory revealed the facility was responsible for around 40 per cent of council’s corporate emissions. A strong business case for electrification showed the opportunity to reduce emissions and operating costs together, ultimately securing nearly $1 million in external funding.

Council has also secured funding and partnerships to expand recycled water demand by 50 per cent, commenced its first Coastal Hazard Adaptation Plan, and completed its first Carbon Emissions Inventory and Net Zero Pathway.

Across the program, more than $2.2 million in funding and co-investment has been secured.

But perhaps the biggest shift has been cultural. Sustainability is now embedded in how council evaluates opportunities, prioritises investment and plans for the future.

The moment it clicked

For the team, December 2025 was a defining moment.

Within one week before Christmas, council secured funding for both the Leisure Centre Electrification Project and the citywide three-bin rollout.

After years of consultation, data collection, technical investigations and business case development, the strategies were no longer just plans on a page. They were generating real investment, real projects and real outcomes for the community.

A team effort with strong partnerships

Behind the program is a Council-wide commitment led by Elected Members and the Executive under CEO Eric Brown, supported by the Environment and Infrastructure Team.

Key partners have included Green Industries SA, LGA South Australia's Net Zero Accelerate Program, Climate Ready Coasts, SA Water and specialist consultants including Marina from Sustainable Solutions and Jacob from D Squared.

Together, they helped turn ambitious ideas into deliverable projects with measurable outcomes.

Recognition for regional leadership

For the City of Port Lincoln, winning this award recognises more than individual projects. It acknowledges the planning, evidence, collaboration and persistence behind them.

It also sends an important message: regional councils can lead environmental innovation at a sector level.

The work is far from finished. Over the coming years, council will deliver the citywide FOGO rollout, progress Leisure Centre electrification, expand recycled water opportunities, advance coastal adaptation planning and continue building its sustainability project pipeline.

The strategies were never designed to sit on a shelf… they were designed to create lasting environmental, financial and community benefits, and in Port Lincoln, that future is already taking shape.

Thank you to our partner Green Industries SA for sponsoring the Excellence in  Environmental Leadership and Sustainability Award.

GIF: Features a variety of images from the Environmental Sustainability Program, and those representing the project at the 2026 LG Professionals SA Leadership Excellence Awards Gala Dinner.