The South Catlins Charitable Trust placed second at this year's Trustpower National Community Awards held in Tauranga over the weekend.

The trust competed with 26 other groups across New Zealand and received $2500 prize money and a framed certificate at the Saturday night awards dinner.

Over the last 25 years the awards have grown into one of the country’s largest volunteer-based awards programmes.

Trustpower community and communications manager Emily Beaton said the trust stood out for its efforts to preserve Curio Bay’s pristine natural environment while catering to a growing number of visitors.

“Since its inception, the trust has worked on key projects within Curio Bay including the reforestation of the Living Forest, development of walkways, and the restoration of the endangered yellow-eyed penguin habitat.

“As well as these efforts to conserve and protect the area, they have made changes to improve the experience of the bay for visitors and locals by improving the facilities.

"The volunteer trustees are passionate about the Catlins and its wildlife, and have a strong desire to share the unique history and story of the area with visitors.”

Trust chairman Paul Duffy the trust was "thrilled" to be selected amidst such impressive initiatives. 

The awards were judged both by a panel of judges, as well as peer voting among the 26 groups. 

Other groups told the trust they were "quite impressed" with what the southern group was able to achieve, Mr Duffy said. 

He said it was still early days to know how the prize money would be spent. 

However, two upcoming projects the trust had set its sights on were installing webcams along yellow-eyed penguin grounds at the Petrified Forest, and doubling the length of the walking track through the Living Forest.

Matipo Community Development Charitable Trust, representing Whanganui District, was named Supreme Winner, USO Bike Ride of Porirua, representing the Wellington region, was the inaugural Trustpower Award winner. 

Tauranga's own Under the Stars of won the Whetū Mātaiata Award.