Luna Media, publishers of G: The Green Lifestyle Magazine, won an unprecedented nine awards at Australia's Bell Magazine Awards, including Best Small Publisher.

The glossy popular science magazine COSMOS - also published by Luna Media - won the coveted trophies of Magazine of the Year and Editor of the Year.

The 2006 awards, given annually by the magazine industry association, Publishers Australia, were presented at a gala ceremony in Sydney's Four Seasons Hotel on Friday 24 November 2006.

The event was held before an audience of almost 500 and was hosted by Ita Butrose AO OBE, the seasoned publisher, journalist and media personality. It was judged by a panel of 32 independent industry specialists and academics who selected winners in 33 categories.

Wilson da Silva, editor-in-chief of COSMOS and G Magazine, won Editor of the Year - for the second consecutive time - in what the judges have described as a "stylish, ambitious and erudite publication, realised through the vision of an editor". He also picked up Best Opinion Series for his incisive COSMOS editorials throughout the year.

Cosmos Online (www.cosmosmagazine.com), the print magazine's new website, which features daily news and features, won Best Internet Site - despite launching only five months earlier. The magazine's technical director Anthony Willis collected the hotly-contested award.

Meanwhile, G Magazine photo researcher and editorial assistant, Kate Holdsworth. snapped up the Best Newcomer to Journalism award - pipping colleague Erica Harrison, who was also finalist and received a Highly Commended certificate. Another finalist was G Magazine editor Sara Phillips, whose COSMOS cover story "The Water Crisis" in June 2006 was in the running for Best Single Article.

Luna Media picked up Best Small Publisher against a tough line-up of finalists that included Australian Geographic, recently acquired by ACP Magazines.

But it was COSMOS' win of the Best Consumer Magazine (Print Run Over 30,000) - ahead of Australian Geographic, Wellbeing and Auto Salon Magazine - that set it up as a finalist for the coveted overall award of Magazine of the Year, which it also won.

"We were delighted to do so well," said publisher Kylie Ahern, who collected the Best Small Publisher and Consumer Magazine of the Year trophies. "It shows that a commitment to excellence pays dividends. Luna Media may be small today, but we are innovative, ambitious, and we are going places. Watch this space."

"This augurs well for our new green lifestyle title, G Magazine: the same team who scooped the pool at this year's Bell Awards are also behind it," said Wilson da Silva, who is editor-in-chief of the bold new title launched on 22 November 2006. "We have high hopes for G: there's a growing desire to do something about the environmental issues facing us. G Magazine will try to show readers how to do it without abandoning their lifestyles."

"Small publishers can be innovative, and G Magazine is a good example of the next wave of publishing: entertaining and intelligent, light without being trite," said Dr Alan Finkel, Luna Media's Chairman and the neuroscientist and entrepreneur who co-founded Luna Media. "People want practical, evidence-based solutions to living a more environmentally friendly lifestyle. We hope G Magazine will quickly become a trusted and respected guide to the green consumer landscape."

Even the production excellence of COSMOS was recognised, with printers Offset Alpine winning the Best Single Issue Print Magazine category with the December 2005 issue of COSMOS.

Background information:Publishers Australia was founded in 1964 and represents most of the country's magazine publishers. It has 120 publisher members who produce 500 magazines. This year, the Bell Magazine Awards attracted 230 entries across its 33 categories.

COSMOS is a bi-monthly print magazine. It was launched in June 2005 by Luna Media Pty Ltd, a boutique publishing house in Sydney founded by four individuals: Melbourne neuroscientist and entrepreneur Dr Alan Finkel, magazine publishing executive Kylie Ahern and science journalists Wilson da Silva and Elizabeth Finkel. In November 2006 it lauched its second print title, G Magazine, and in June 2006 launched its first Internet news and features service, Cosmos Online.

List of wins by Luna Media at the 2006 Bell Magazine Awards:

• Magazine of the Year, COSMOS
• Editor of the Year - Wilson da Silva
• Best Small Publisher - Luna Media Pty Ltd
• Best Consumer Magazine (Print Run Over 30,000), COSMOS
• Best Internet Site - Anthony Willis, Cosmos Online
• Best Newcomer to Journalism - Kate Holdsworth
• Best Opinion Series - Wilson da Silva
• Highly Commended, Best Newcomer to Journalism - Erica Harrison