Koala champion Jenny Hayes has been named the Tweed Shire Citizen of the Year.
Tweed Shire Council held its awards and citizenship ceremony at Twin Towns Services Club in Tweed Heads this morning.
Ms Hayes received the award for her ongoing work for the region's koala population, including in the founding of Team Koala in 2009.
"What I am really touched and appreciative about is how much the community has come together to protect our Tweed koalas. Just arrived, or been here for many generations, young and old, everyone joined together and that is so special," Ms Hayes said.
"Team Koala is a very diverse group and lots of different people contribute lots of different things - together I think we make a really great team to try to give our koalas a voice in our shire.