The Golden Foot Walking Awards celebrate and recognise New Zealand achievements for walkers by acknowledging innovative new facilities, highlighting national best practice and rewarding ongoing commitment to walking and pedestrians.
The awards are open to all - private companies and public organisations, not-for-profit groups, community organisations and individuals.
2024 finalists and winners
Congratulations to everyone who was nominated, and to the winners, well done!
This year there were 20 finalists with seven category winners.
A new special award was also presented, the Andy Smith Award, made in honour of a past-president of Living Streets. It was awarded to Wilderness Magazine for its Walk1200km initiative and accepted on the night by editor Alistair Hall. The initiative gained the highest score from the judges across all categories.
Read the news release about the 2024 winners.
Read in detail about each of the seven winners - their vision, project, success.
Read a short summary about each of the 13 finalists.
Table showing finalists and winners by category:
Category and Placing | Project/person/initiative | Nominee |
School Project Award Finalist | Supporting Safe Green and Healthy School Travel, Grantlea Downs School, Timaru | Timaru District Council |
School Project Award Finalist | Walking School Buses, Berhampore School and Miramar Central School, Wellington | Wellington City Council
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Public Transport and Walking Award Finalist | Paraparaumu Transport Hub | Kāpiti Coast District Council |
Public Transport and Walking Award Finalist | Carterton BRT Stop and Park and Ride Project | Metlink |
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Walking Champion Award Finalist | Walking Every Street in Greater Dunedin | Julie Woods |
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Extraordinary Walkers Award Finalist | Northern Southland Walk Group | Northern Southland Walk Group |
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Programmes Award Finalist | Waitaha and Te Tai Poutini Healthy Neighbourhoods Community of Practice | Christchurch City Council |
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Place-making Award Finalist | Waimapihi Mural, Garrett Street, Wellington | Isobel Joy Te Aho-White (Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Kahungunu ki te Wairoa) |
Place-making Award Finalist | St James Theatre Mural, Kia whakatōmuri te haere whakamua, Wellington | Keri-Mei Zagrobelna (Te Āti Awa, Te Whānau-ā-Apanui) and Tina Rae Carter |
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Urban Connection Award Finalist | Hāwera Town Centre Strategy | South Taranaki District Council |
Urban Connection Award Finalist | Installation of Many New Raised Crossings, Wellington | Wellington City Council |
Urban Connection Award Finalist | Featherston Street Safety Improvements Project, Palmerston North | Palmerston North City Council |
Freyberg Street Neighbourhood Street Trial, Lyall Bay, Wellington |
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Events Award Finalist | Gumboot Swap, Shirley, Ōtautahi | The Shirley Village Project |
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Nominations are open until 17 June 2024 - now closed
Find out how to nominate your favourite walk project for the Golden Foot Walking Awards 2024. Guidelines are in the nomination form below.
If you have any questions about how to nominate, please email us. We are very happy to help. Email: goldenfoot@livingstreets.org.nz
Nomination form
Please download and use the nomination form:
Either as a fillable PDF document or Word document (see below).
If you are not able to complete the PDF or Word form because of accessibility reasons, please contact us and we will send you a text version.
Nominations must be received by Monday 17 June 2024.
Examples of past winners
Golden Foot Walking Awards from 2009 to present.
Case studies of past winners:
- Methven Walkway - a 2022 winner
- Wairarapa's raised pedestrian crossings - a 2022 winner
- Age Concern Wellington, Walking Companion Service - a 2022 winner
- Meadowbank School walking bus competition - a 2022 winner
- The Great Perimeter Walkway - a 2009 winner
- Read about more past winners on our Facebook page
Types of nominations
Nominations can be about:
- Projects and programmes
- Facilities or place-making
- Events
- Research
- School projects
- Walking advocate champions
- Extraordinary walkers (e.g. walkers completing the Te Araroa Trail in record times or ways, walk fundraising for a particular cause, commuters walking long distances or overcoming barriers, stories of health gains through walking)
- Walking and public transport initiatives
- Buildings and public spaces that demonstrate strong accessibility and CPTED principles (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design).
Please note: Walkers means pedestrians – those on foot or using a wheelchair. Shared path projects are not eligible.
All nominations are valid if they have not been previously entered into the Golden Foot Walking Awards.
The Awards Ceremony will be held in July (details to be advised).
Photo: Golden Foot awarded to Age Concern Wellington in 2022 for their companion walking service programme. The award was made by Global Wood Rework.
Golden Foot Nomination Forms - for downloading
| Attachment | Size |
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 Golden Foot Walking Awards 2024 Nomination Form, PDF | 1.59 MB |
 Golden Foot Walking Awards 2024 Nomination Form, Word doc | 1.52 MB |