The group won a highly commended under the Community Environmental Achievement Award category, which was accepted by Green Bikes co-founders, Janusz Haschek and Phil Webster, and Resource Recovery Australia MidCoast manager Krysten Banks.

Midcoast Council deputy mayor Kathryn Smith was also at the ceremony to provide her support to nominated groups from the Mid Coast local government area.

Green Bikes is delivered by volunteers and has been operating from Tuncurry Community Recycling Centre for the past seven years. 

Volunteers salvage and deconstruct old push bikes and rescue reusable parts and components to restore bikes and make new ones. 

Usable parts and components are also sorted, and are offered to community members through the on-site Green Shop, along with the restored and quality bikes. 

Visitors and participants of the project learn how to conduct bike component safety checks, identify faults, source bike parts and undertake maintenance activities. 

The concept of repair rather than replace is promoted and the life of the bike is lengthened, as well as the life of the local landfill.

For the past five years, Green Bikes has partnered with Homebase Youth Service to deliver its bike repair and maintenance to students from both local high schools. 

During 2016, Green Bikes has diverted more than 350 bikes from landfill and illegal dumping, and constructed 240 bikes for community members to purchase from the Green Shop.

The team salvage from Tuncurry's transfer station, but also have implemented pick-up points out of the township for people who want to clean up their yards and donate their old bikes towards and new life and the Green Bikes project.

Green Bikes started with three men who were passionate about cycling and environmental education. 

They are now a dedicated team of seven volunteers operating two days a week. 

Some people are fed up with high levels of consumerism so Green Bikes' message of reuse and repair and ride rather than drive resonates with so many locals and visitors in the Great Lakes area.

“What is so wonderful about their engagement with the community is that there are so many positive outcomes,” Krysten Banks said.

“Young people are given a safe space to interact and learn; experienced people are mentoring less experienced people; young people are encouraged to cycle places and old bikes are given a new lease on life.

“Resource Recovery Australia, a local social enterprise with a waste-to-wages agenda,  is pleased to support the Green Bikes project as it goes towards achieving their vision of creating a safe, healthy, sustainable and inclusive community.”

Midcoast Council's Waste Services has also supported this group from its inception. 

Well done to the team, who competed with more than 50 applications from across NSW, on bringing this award back to Forster Tuncurry.