Diners in Sydney and Melbourne restaurants helped raise more than $113,450 in the annual—and growing—StreetSmart fundraising campaign.

It was the best result so far for the campaign since it started in 2003. The money will be shared among 35 organisations to help the homeless.

The 2006 campaign, which ran for the first time in Sydney restaurants, as well as Victoria, saw diners in more than 147 restaurants donate $2 at the end of their meal to support the work of StreetSmart.

In Victoria, 102 restaurants and 15 wineries raised $84,545 and grants will be distributed to 25 community groups, while in Sydney $28,905 was raised.

StreetSmart CEO Adam Robinson said he was thrilled with the generosity of diners and thankful to restaurateurs.

“StreetSmart shows how much we can achieve when we work together,” Robinson said. “Every restaurant, sponsor and diner contributes to making StreetSmart a great community initiative bringing change to the lives of those around us.”

Since 2003, StreetSmart has raised and distributed over $250,000.

Il Solito Posto in Melbourne’s CBD was the 2006 Victorian StreetSmart Champion restaurant raising $5640. Other top performers in Melbourne included Mecca Bah, Harvey’s, Sails on the Bay, Café Fidama, Arintji, Blue Tongue, Ezard, Longrain, Syracuse, Verge, Livebait, Three One Two, @Sunnyside Up (Sorrento) and Mini.

The campaign this year will run from 12 November to 24 December 2007.