The group of 18 people, including Horsham Rural City Council Mayor Pam Clarke and Councillor Les Power, departed Horsham on Wednesday morning.

Cr Clarke said the group would drive to Horsham before flying to Hobart for the ultimate destination in Triabunna for the awards ceremony on Friday.

“The gloves have come off,” Cr Clarke said.

“It’s time to get serious. We want to win a second time.”

Horsham will be competing for the Keep Australia Beautiful Australian Tidy Towns award against other State finalists of  Maitland, New South Wales; Areyonga (Utju), Northern Territory; Barmera, South Australia; Stanley, Tasmania; and Greenbushes, Western Australia.

Horsham Agricultural Society President Dalton Cross is in the running for an individual young persons award and the Horsham Christian Emergency Food Centre is up for a recycling and renewal award.

Many community groups and volunteers have contributed towards Horsham reaching the finals including the Horsham Men’s Shed, Horsham Christian Emergency Food Centre, and Horsham Landcare Group.

Horsham Tidy Towns committee chair Gillian Vanderwaal said Horsham had won the national title back in 2001.

“This is all about the volunteers, the people who have gone above and beyond what was expected and created innovative projects for the whole community,” she said.

Horsham was named Victoria’s Tidiest Town in October.