Waihi has been picked as a finalist for the Most Beautiful Small Town Award in this year's Beautiful Awards, run by not-for-profit organisation Keep New Zealand Beautiful.

Waihi has been selected as a finalist because of a number of local environmentally and sustainably focused initiatives.

Community group Keep Waihi Beautiful has run a number of town-wide clean up events in which locals help to remove litter from public spaces. There has been a noticeably difference with areas from past clean ups remaining litter free.

Keep Waihi Beautiful has also helped to beautify local community spaces by removing graffiti on the A&P shed and replacing it with urban art with help from local artist Shane Walker and Waihi College students.

Waihi is not only a finalist in the Most Beautiful Small Town category, the region also features as a finalist in the community and individual categories.

CEO of Keep New Zealand Beautiful Heather Saunderson says Waihi has demonstrated a number of environmental initiatives.

'Not only has the town excelled, local individuals and community groups have also demonstrated their incredible efforts towards sustainability and caring for the environment.”

The Beautiful Awards, run by Keep New Zealand Beautiful, aim to celebrate environmental excellence exemplified by communities, businesses, schools and individuals in New Zealand.

'All the finalists have worked hard to secure a spot in the top six.”

'All finalists have strong environmental initiatives across each of our four key areas. We are so pleased to see the incredible work each region is doing to build and sustain vibrant communities. This will be a difficult competition to judge,” says Heather.

The last phase of judging will involve the Beautiful Awards judging panel visiting the finalist towns and cities from late August. The winners will be announced at the Beautiful Awards Gala Dinner in Auckland on Friday October 26 2018.