2026 Local Heroes Awards wrap up
01 July 2026
The Vision Super Local Heroes Awards, held in partnership with the Australian Services Union, recognise local government employees who go above and beyond for their community.
The annual awards have run in Victoria for the past five years, and with Vision Super now the default fund for local government in New South Wales as well as Victoria, 2026 saw entries extended across both states. Award ceremonies were held simultaneously on Thursday 14 May in Melbourne and Sydney.
Over 50 nominations were received this year across the four award categories - a record number of entries, which made the judges’ lives very difficult! There could only be eight prize winners, and even though there were tough choices to make, certain stories did stand out.
Demonstrating an unwavering commitment to their community, the winners of the 2026 Local Heroes Awards are:
Environment, Infrastructure and Recreation Local Heroes Award – Metropolitan
Winners: Niamh McGuckian and Matthew Balane, City of Canada Bay Council
Niamh and Matt transformed a routine complaint from a neighbour about overgrown vegetation, hoarding, and vermin into a compassionate, multi-agency response that provided life-changing support for a vulnerable elderly resident. Their work not only resolved the neighbour’s concerns but also strengthened partnerships between council and community organisations, which will continue to help members of the community in complex situations in the future.
Runner-up: Street Cleansing Team, Yarra City Council
Honourable mentions: Ella Ryan, Brimbank City Council and Sarah Venning, City of Melbourne
Families, Health and Community Development Local Heroes Award – Metropolitan
Winner: Ulfat Sifatullah, Greater Dandenong City Council
Since joining the Dandenong Zero Project in 2022, Ulfat has demonstrated strong leadership and commitment to supporting people experiencing homelessness. He has contributed to helping 42 individuals secure long-term housing and played a key role in establishing the municipality’s first By Name List, which supports coordinated outreach to around 70 vulnerable community members. Beyond his formal role, he also coordinated fundraising initiatives, including a partnership with Dandenong Square that raised around $1,700 for emergency accommodation.
Runner-up: April Wilson, Nillumbik Shire Council
Honourable mention: Arif Mohammad Azizi, Greater Dandenong City Council
Environment, Infrastructure and Recreation Local Heroes Award – Regional
Winner: Harcourt Fire Responders, City of Greater Bendigo
This group of employees played a critical frontline role during the devastating Harcourt bushfires, displaying courage and selflessness during a major disaster. Their work included grading and maintaining fire containment lines to protect homes and infrastructure, coordinating and delivering fuel supply to keep machinery and emergency equipment operational, and carting water to directly support firefighting efforts. Their actions helped safeguard homes and vital assets, strengthened the broader emergency response, and made a meaningful contribution to the safety and wellbeing of the community they proudly serve.
Runner-up: Jessica Anderson, Goulburn Valley Libraries
Honourable mention: Rebecca Cassidy, Wollondilly Shire Council
Families, Health and Community Development Local Heroes Award – Regional
Winners: Jerome Simpson and Josh Townsend, Armidale Regional Council
After recognising poor communication and workplace culture issues within the council depot, Jerome and Josh led the introduction of the TradeMutt initiative by wearing brightly coloured hats designed to spark conversations about mental health. Their efforts quickly gained support from management and staff, leading to the rollout of over 400 TradeMutt shirts and hats across council workplaces and increased awareness of the TIACS (This Is A Conversation Starter) counselling service for blue-collar workers. Their efforts have since expanded beyond council, inspiring local businesses and other councils to adopt similar mental health strategies. Through their leadership, Armidale has been recognised as a strong advocate for mental health awareness, demonstrating how a simple grassroots idea can create meaningful and lasting change across an entire community.
Runner-up: Joshua Wiffen, Wollongong City Council
Honourable mention: Naomi Owen, Ben Sillay, Lee Ryan, Debbie Kellehear and Leteisha McManus, Cessnock City Council
Nominations for 2027 Local Heroes awards will be open early next year - keep your eye out for your chance to nominate!