Minister for Health and Wellbeing - Excellence in Public Health Awards

Each year, the Minister for Health and Wellbeing Excellence in Public Health Awards celebrate outstanding contributions to public health by local councils across South Australia.

The Awards showcase councils' essential and often unseen roles in protecting, preserving and promoting health in their local areas, through public health action.

There are three Awards categories including one for regional councils, one for metropolitan councils, and one for councils partnering in local collaborations.

The winner of each category will receive $3,000 prize money.

Apply now

All South Australian councils, metropolitan and regional, large and small, are encouraged to apply. Download the Application Guide (PDF 154KB) and apply via the relevant online form for:

Metropolitan and Regional council applications

Local Collaboration Excellence council applications.

How to apply

Read the Application Guide and submit the relevant online application form by Friday 4 September 2026.

If you have any questions or need assistance submitting your application, please email the SA Health Strategic Engagement and Policy team at health.phstrategicengagementandpolicy@sa.gov.au.

Applications will be assessed according to the criteria outlined in the Application Guide (PDF 154KB).

Winners will be announced on Friday 4 December 2026 at a dedicated awards ceremony.

2025 winners

On Friday 21 November, the Minister for Health and Wellbeing – Excellence in Public Health Awards acknowledged and celebrated the following winning councils.

Metropolitan winner:

The City of Salisbury was named the 2025 metropolitan winner for its Cycle Salisbury Social Rides initiative.

This initiative aims to create lasting public health improvements by increasing physical activity, reducing social isolation and maximising use of the City’s 103 km of cycling paths.

Over 10,000 rides have been achieved in its first ten years, demonstrating extraordinary participation, program growth and sustainability with participants’ consistently reporting lasting health gains, greater social inclusion, and overall improvement to their lives.

(Left to right: Chief Public Health Officer, Professor Nicola Spurrier, Mayor Gillian Aldridge OAM (City of Salisbury), Jim Binder (City of Salisbury), Jenna Romaine (City of Salisbury), Vesna Heracic (City of Salisbury), and Minister for Health and Wellbeing, Chris Picton)

Regional winner:

The District Council of Grant was named the 2025 regional winner for its Art-Ability Exhibition initiative.

This initiative features 38 artists at the repurposed Airport Hanger Gallery at the Mount Gambier Regional Airport, creating a powerful platform to encourage and promote greater awareness, understanding and acceptance of people living with disability, within the Lower South East community.

It demonstrates strong partnerships, creative reuse of a former aviation site for the arts, strong community ownership, and thoughtful integration of arts-ability into local life.

(Left to right: Chief Public Health Officer, Professor Nicola Spurrier, Mayor Kylie Boston (District Council of Grant), Chief Executive Officer Darryl Whicker (District Council of Grant), Deputy Mayor Brad Munn (District Council of Grant), Tony Jordan (District Council of Grant) and Minister for Health and Wellbeing, Chris Picton)

Highly commended:

The City of Onkaparinga for the Improved Communication for the School Immunisation Program Within Onkaparinga and Beyond initiative.

(Left to right: Chief Public Health Officer, Professor Nicola Spurrier, Melissa Hopwood (City of Onkaparinga), Joanne Dearden (City of Onkaparinga), Tayla Weinert (City of Onkaparinga), Lisa Bettes (City of Onkaparinga), Mayor Moira Were AM (City of Onkaparinga) and Minister for Health and Wellbeing, Chris Picton)

Further information

For further information about the Excellence in Public Health Awards, please email health.phstrategicengagementandpolicy@sa.gov.au or contact Strategic Engagement and Policy on (08) 8226 7100.

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Last updated: 17 Jul 2026