Award Finalists
The inaugural MAVlab Innovation Awards received a high volume of exciting, high impact project, program and people submissions. In all 16 awards categories, you have shared outstanding examples of projects, approaches and leadership from councils working VIC-wide. We’re excited about this opportunity to learn more deeply about work that our councils are delivering - and to share these approaches with the sector - as we continue to champion Victorian local government.
Join us on Wednesday 8 October, at Higher Ground Melbourne, when 200+ people will convene to learn about the MAVlab Innovation Awards finalists and we will announce the winners.
Explore our Awards Finalists below and then join us on Wednesday 8 October as we celebrate outstanding council work.
Winners will be announced following the Awards Celebration.
Later this year we will publish case studies about all finalists to enable sector-wide learning and scale innovative approaches and ideas.
Please note, the finalists are listed in alphabetical order by their councils.
2025 Innovatio Pro Bono Publico Award: Leader, supported by Swinburne University of Technology
Finalists:
- Christian Stefani, South Gippsland Shire Council
- Simon McMillan, Whitehorse City Council
- Amanda Kern, Yarra Ranges Shire Council.
2025 Innovatio Pro Bono Publico Award: Emerging Leader, supported by Leadership Victoria
Finalists:
- Tavis Vallance, Boroondara City Council
- Scot Walker, Greater Dandenong City Council
- Margie McKay, Greater Geelong City Council
- Jay Smith, Mildura Rural City Council.
The Thrive Award forLeadership in Change Management, supported by Swinburne University of Technology
Finalists:
- Continuous Improvement Team, Banyule City Council
- Tavis Vallance, Boroondara City Council
- Lisa Ippolito, Whitehorse City Council.
The Insights Award for Leadership in Data-driven Decision-making, supported by SenSen AI
Finalists:
- Jean Ooi, Minh Tong, Frankie Bailey, Vivienne Green and Thomas Rodger, Manningham City Council
- Knowledge Bank Working Group, Melbourne City Council
- Learning and Organisational Team, Melbourne City Council.
The Connector Award for Community Inclusion and Cohesion, supported by NBN Co
Finalists:
- Shaping the Future of Noojee, Baw Baw Shire Council
- #Proud2Be, Greater Dandenong City Council
- Merri-bek Democracy Lab, Merri-bek City Council
- The Mount Alexander Shire Community Infrastructure for Flood Recovery and Resilience, Mount Alexander Shire Council
- Our Country, Our Way – Embedding Indigenous Perspectives in Land and Emergency Management, Yarra Ranges Shire Council.
The Wellbeing Award for Community Health Impacts, supported by VicHealth
Finalists:
- #Filtered Body Image Project, Greater Dandenong City Council
- Gendering in a New Era in Sport Project, Mildura Rural City Council
- Mallee Women: Sharing Stories, Shaping Equality, Mildura Regional City Council.
The Energiser Award for Climate Resilience and Adaptation, supported by Clean Energy Council
Finalists:
- Climate Action Living Lab (CALL), Casey City Council
- Solar Saver, Darebin City Council
- Private Electric Vehicle Kerbside Charging Project, Port Phillip City Council.
The Systems and Cycles Award for Regenerative Design, supported by RMIT University
Finalists:
- Soft Plastics Circular Contract, Brimbank City Council
- Northcote Aquatic and Recreation Centre, Darebin City Council
- Queen Victoria Market Circular Economy Precinct, Melbourne City Council.
The Now and Forever Award for Impact and Legacy, supported by Australian Red Cross
Finalists:
- Growing Our Own Early Years Workforce, Corangamite Shire Council
- The Harbour - Social Housing Project, Darebin City Council
- Solar Saver, Darebin City Council.
The Stronger Together Award for Council Collaboration, supported by JLT Public Sector
Finalists:
- Bass Coast Homelessness Think Tank, Bass Coast Shire Council
- Welcome Baby to Wurundjeri Country Ceremony, Brimbank City Council and Maribyrnong City Council
- Timber Transition: Upper Yarra Local Development Strategy, Yarra Ranges Shire Council.
The Engage Award for Impactful and Inclusive Storytelling, supported by Fireside
Finalists:
- Beach Safety: Innovation and Collaboration in Bass Coast, Bass Coast Shire Council
- Baybot, Bayside City Council
- The City of Casey Open Data Exchange Insights Pages, Casey City Council
- Mallee Women: Sharing Stories, Shaping Equality, Mildura Rural City Council
Peninsula Tales, Mornington Peninsula Shire Council.
The Future is Maintenance Award for Asset Management, supported by Matter
Finalists:
- Public Art Conservation Program, Ballarat City Council
- Melbourne’s Stormwater Sensing Pilot, Melbourne City Council
- Renewals for Nature, Melbourne City Council.
The Smooth Sailing Award for Service Optimisation and CX, supported by LANDATA® operated by SERV
Finalists:
- Baybot, Bayside City Council
- Smart Start: Automating Payroll Onboarding for Faster Service and Compliance, Casey City Council
- ‘My Mitchell’ mobile app, Mitchell Shire Council
- Mitchell Shire Council Gender Impact Assessment App, Mitchell Shire Council
- MyLot, Yarra Ranges Shire Council.
The Refuge Award for Innovation in Safe Spaces for Community, supported by Neighbourhood Houses Victoria
Finalists:
- The Harbour - Social Housing Project, Darebin City Council
- Make Room, Melbourne City Council
- Safe Haven: A Community Driven Housing Solution for Women and Children at Risk, Mornington Peninsula Shire Council.
The Sandbox Award for Experimentation Practice, supported by Breakthrough Victoria
Finalists:
- Banyule’s 1000 Jobs Project: A Tested Model for Inclusive Employment and Economic Growth, Banyule City Council
- Living Labs, Casey City Council
- Mornington Peninsula Shire AI Experimentation Journey, Mornington Peninsula Shire Council.
The Fin-novation Award for Financial Ingenuity, supported by Finpro
Finalists:
- Shaping the Future of Noojee, Baw Baw Shire Council
- Smart Asset Monitoring at Casey Fields, Casey City Council
- Caring Across Communities, Glen Eira City Council and Bayside City Council.