Taupō won the supreme award for most beautiful town or city. Photo: 123rf
Taupō has taken out the top spot in this year's Most Beautiful Cities and Towns Award.
The Beautiful Awards recognise communities for their work in keeping New Zealand's environment clean and healthy.
The results were announced last night at Parliament House -- with Taupō winning the Supreme Towns and Cities Award.
Elements of the town that made it the winner include regular community clean up events, sustainable transport schemes and a Kai Rescue Programme, which works to reduce food waste.
Whakatāne was named the most beautiful small city. Photo: scapigliata@outlook.com
Keep New Zealand Beautiful chief executive Heather Saunderson said out of all the towns and cities she visited, Taupō ranked among the best for the many climate conscious initiatives it undertook.
The North Island town excelled across every other criteria, making it the clear winner of the Supreme Award, Saunderson said.
As a prize, Taupō will receive a mural painted by a local artist worth up to $10,000.
Councillor Sandra Greenslade, who was among those representing Taupō district at the awards, said the Taupō group could hardly believe their ears when they won.
"We were surprised and then we were over the moon," Greenslade said.
Taupō District Mayor David Trewavas said he was absolutely stoked and it was amazing news for the community.
Tauranga was named the most beautiful large city. Photo: Ramunas Bruzas
The public facilities at Okere Falls Scenic Reserve in Rotorua clinched this year's Best Loo Award.
A revitalisation programme - involving murals, carvings and the community's pride in its heritage - helped Awanui in the Far North win the Most Beautiful Tiny Town award.
The Most Beautiful Large Town award went to Whakatāne, which aims to increase tree canopy cover by 20 percent over the next 20 years.
Tauranga won the award for the most beautiful large city for developing cycleways and walkways, planting tens of thousands of trees and restoring more than 11,000 hectares of wetlands.
New Plymouth won an award for most beautiful small city for undertaking mass planting which has brought back native species not seen in the area for over 400 years, developing a solar farm and recycling.
Arrowtown won an award for most beautiful small city for increasing self-sufficiency by growing and living off their own produce and initiatives such as Single Use Cup Free Arrowtown.
A range of community, individual and best place awards were also given out on the the night.
Saunderson said the awards were an opportunity for communities to rally together and shine a light on climate, conservation and environmental education projects over the past year.
"Public nominations were one of the criteria for the selection of our awards recipients and finalists, so it was fantastic to see the overwhelming passion Kiwis have for the towns and cities they live in, the places they enjoy and the unsung environmental heroes who unite the community together."