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2026 AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE ARE OPEN FOR ENTRIES

The MLSA Awards of Excellence celebrate the pinnacle of landscaping design, construction and maintenance in South Australia. From apprentices to trade contractors, small businesses to large organisations, our awards recognise brilliance within the landscaping industry.

These prestigious annual awards recognise and honour the outstanding work of landscaping professionals who have demonstrated excellence, innovation, and a commitment to quality in their projects. The Awards of Excellence aim to inspire and elevate industry standards, showcasing the best in Landscape Design, Construction, and Maintenance.

The MLSA Awards of Excellence have grown to become a highlight of the landscaping calendar. Over the years, the awards have evolved, adding new categories to reflect emerging trends and innovations in the industry. From modest beginnings, the awards now attract entries from the most talented and dedicated professionals in South Australia, making it a true celebration of landscaping excellence.

ENTER A PROJECT

2026 AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE CATEGORIES

DESIGN

Residential

Commercial

Documentation

construction

Residential

Commercial

Regional SA

Projects within 50km radius of Adelaide CBD may be judged on site. Open on the map link below to view definition of regional areas.

MAINTENANCE

Residential

Commercial

PROJECT SPECIFIC

RECOGNISE A PERSON OR BUSINESS

Trainee or Apprentice of the Year
Frank Ugody Award
Craig Norman Award - Industry Supplier of the Year
Rising Star

NOMINATE A PERSON/BUSINESS

Looking for Some Tips and Advice on Entering? CLICK HERE

Reference map to identify regional areas. CLICK HERE

Not a Member?
Join Today to Enter

Winning an Award of Excellence will:

Gain you industry and public recognition for your high quality workmanship and projects
Get you a winner's trophy and logo to promote the win to clients and differentiate you from your competitors
Drive business sales and catch the attention of potential clients
Access unrivalled media coverage and promotion across a range of Master Landscapers of SA opportunities; and
Boost staff morale.

JOIN NOW

entry information

Entry fee

Entry Fee
$110 per entry.

Plus, enter the same project in additional categories for ONLY $75 per additional entry.

IMPORTANT DATES

ENTRIES CLOSE

Special Awards categories

14 August 2026
Design & Construction Categories

11 September 2026

JUDGING COMMENCES

Special Awards categories

14 September to 30 September

Residential & Commercial categories

1 October & 2 October

2026 AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE
GALA DINNER

EVENT DETAILS

Join us for the grand Awards of Excellence Gala Dinner, Saturday, 15 November at Ian McLachlan Room, Adelaide Oval. The evening will feature delicious food & drink, lots of fun, and of course, the announcement of the award winners. It is a night to celebrate the best in the landscaping industry, network with peers, and enjoy an evening of recognition and celebration.

HOW TO ATTEND

Tickets for the ceremony will be open for purchase soon. For more details, visit our the event page HERE.

CONDITIONS OF ENTRY can be found HERE.

THINKING ABOUT STAYING AT THE OVAL HOTEL

Oval Hotel are pleased to extend an exclusive 20% discount to event attendees to experience Australia’s first stadium hotel, wrapping gently around the eastern facade of Adelaide Oval.

Book through this link to receive the discount.

SPONSORSHIP

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

We offer a range of sponsorship packages designed to provide maximum visibility and engagement with our audience. Event Packages include; Screen and Light Show, All Night Screen Show and Individual packages include; Branded Entrance and Drinks Station, Photo Booth and Entry Form Sponsorship each with unique benefits such as branding opportunities, speaking slots, and VIP seating at the ceremony.

HOW TO BECOME A SPONSOR

To learn more about sponsorship opportunities and to tailor a package that meets your business needs, email Chris Wiltshire

Join us in celebrating excellence in landscaping and gain unparalleled exposure to industry leaders. Open on the link below to find out more!

JUDGING PROCESS

Each entry is assessed against the judging criteria by a panel of independent judges during an on-site inspection.
Here's a brief overview of the judging process:

ENTRY SUBMITTED
Entry submitted through the online awards entry system.

ENTRY CLOSED
After entries are closed an on-site inspection is scheduled - MLSA will contact you to advise your allocated inspection day.

Please note: Due to the high volume of entries, flexibility around judge’s inspection times is limited. However, MLSA will endeavour to give you as much notice as possible to allow for arrangements with building/home owners.

On-site judging excludes entrants in the following categories, that will be judged solely on the submission provided:

Rising Star [Interview also required]
Trainee or Apprentice of the Year [Interview also required]
Frank Ugody Memorial Award
Documentation - Excellence in Design Specifications
Regional SA - Construction of the Year

On-site judging excludes entrants in the following categories, which will be judged solely on MLSA Member votes:

Craig Norman Award - Industry Supplier of the Year

JUDGING DAYS
Special Award categories - online interview.
Our independent judges will interview nominees and evaluate their entry according to the judging criteria.

Residential & Commercial categories - on-site inspection.
Our independent judges will inspect and judge your entry according to the judging criteria. Judging days will be conducted on the 29th and 30th of September (Monday and Tuesday).

Regional SA
All Regional entries will not have site inspections.

DELIBERATION
The judges will deliberate and choose a winner for each category.

WINNERS ANNOUNCED
All winners are announced at the 2026 MLSA Awards of Excellence Gala Dinner; Saturday 14 November.

MLSA Awards of Excellence

TIPS AND CONSIDERATIONS

To assist with your entry submissions, the tables below provide some handy guidance.

ALL ENTRIES

Project Elements	Useful tips
Adherence to the client's brief	Demonstrate how the project responds to client's requests

AWARDS FOR CONSTRUCTION CATEGORIES

Project Elements	Useful tips
Degree of difficulty	Identify which parts of the project provided the most challenges
Hard surfaces and structures	Nominate all hardscaping elements that form part of the project
Water management	Identify drainage/irrigation methods and/or systems used
Plant life and health	Show suitability to the surrounding environment
Set out	Identify levels and layout required for the construction

AWARDS FOR DESIGN CATEGORIES

Project Elements	Useful tips
Complexity	Identify challenges relating to the site and the client's brief
Creativity	Show innovative ways in resolving client's brief
Material selection	Nominate both hard and softscaping
Plant life and health	Show suitability to the surrounding environment
Movement through the site	Show how there is appropriate access to and within the designed spaces

AWARDS FOR MAINTENANCE CATEGORIES

Project Elements	Useful Tips
Chemical use & weed management	Identify the products used to maintain the site
Manual Skills	Nominate the labour techniques used on site
Maintenance program	Identify scheduling and implementation of the products/techniques
Ground treatment	Show how the ground is best maintained i.e. mulch
Water efficiency	Identify drainage/irrigation methods and/or systems used
Plant life and health	Show suitability to the surrounding environment

AWARD FOR BEST USE OF GREEN-LIFE

Project Elements	Useful Tips
Plant selection	Nominate the plant species used on site
Set out	Identify the spacing of plants and their relationship to the site
Chemical use & weed management	Identify the products used to maintain the site
Plant life and health	Show suitability to the surrounding environment

AWARD FOR INDIVIDUAL LANDSCAPE FEATURE

Project Elements	Useful Tips
Originality	Show innovative ways in resolving the client's brief
Compatibility	Show suitability to the surrounding environment
Installation	Identify the methods/techniques used to place the feature
Material selection	Identify what materials the feature consists of/is made of

AWARD FOR DOCUMENTATION

Project Elements	Useful Tips
Graphics	Demonstrate clarity within images/figures/diagrams
Specifications	Nominates clear material/product selection and relevant instructions where required

To help inform our judges, it is recommended working drawings such as site plans and elevations are provided within an entry, along with any relevant photos, reports and/or specifications. Don't forget, the application process is a chance to make yourself stand out.