Organisers received more than 350 nominations across all awards this year, a true testament to the quality of individuals and organisations dedicated and committed to regional and rural communities right across NSW and the ACT, with Dubbo's IWRA emerging as a semi finalist and climbing into the top 10 rankings.

Formed in 2008 by a volunteer committee, the Inland Waterways Rejuvenation Association saw a need to rejuvenate their local waterways near Wellington and to increase the number of native fish within those waterways for future sustainability.

With native fish numbers declining in inland rivers by up to 90 per cent since European settlement, the association has recently released hundreds of thousands of native Murray cod and golden perch into local water ways and has begun an education program within the central west highlighting the need to protect native fish by producing more than 48,000 Native Fish Awareness Cards which have been distributed around local cities and towns.

This year the winner of the Environment & Landcare Award will win $5000 thanks to the Commonwealth Bank. Winners will be announced at a gala presentation to be held at the Orange Ex Services Club on October 27.