We push off from the Noosa Sailing Club jetty at 8am, the river still glassy in the early morning light.
Today’s mission isn’t fishing or sightseeing. We’re in search of the big one – rubbish.
I’ve joined the crew of NICA, the Noosa Integrated Catchment Association. It’s a bit of a mouthful – maybe they should change their name to Noosa NatureWatch, Noosa River Guardians, Flow Noosa, or something like that…
But their purpose is simple: look after the Noosa River and everything that depends on it.
On board this morning are Peter and Yanni Van Zijl, along with our skipper, Justin Campbell, a veteran of these waters.
Between them, they’ve seen just about everything the river can throw up, including what people leave behind.
The river today is beautiful.
The water is clear, the banks lush and green, birdlife busy along the shoreline.
It’s the kind of morning that reminds you why Noosa’s river system is so special and why protecting it matters.
It doesn’t take long to find our first targets.
By 8.12am, just minutes into the patrol, we spot an assortment of plastics and rubbish snagged along Noosa’s North Shore.
Peter and Yanni hop off the boat and start collecting, moving methodically through the reeds.
This is River Ranger work, and it happens every fortnight. Supported by Noosa Council, NICA’s river rangers patrol the waterways, collecting litter and reporting issues that need the attention of local authorities.
It’s not glamorous, but it’s vital.
We idle further up the river, stopping whenever something unwanted comes into view.
By 8.30am, the haul already includes broken plastic lids, coffee cups, water bottles, lolly wrappers, bait bags and discarded fishing line – all items that pose a real threat to wildlife.
Then comes the pièce de résistance: a plastic toilet seat, half-hidden in the vegetation.
Not long after, we recovered a 20-litre plastic water container. There’s also a soggy reminder that wipes don’t break down in water — something the river doesn’t need, but gets anyway.
Peter and Yanni have been doing this for more than 20 years.
Two decades of quietly helping to keep Noosa’s rivers clean, one piece of rubbish at a time. It’s a long-term commitment to a task that never really ends.
We find more odds and ends – a stubby bottle, lengths of rope – before turning back downstream.
By 9.30am, the boat is already carrying a sizable load of garbage, the kind that clogs waterways and wreaks havoc on flora and fauna alike.
Just as we think we’re done, one last flash of colour catches the eye: a yellow life jacket tangled in weeds near the bank. We stop and retrieve it. Nothing gets left behind if it can be helped.
In two weeks’ time, this same crew will be back out here, doing it all again.
River patrols are just one part of NICA’s broader work across the Noosa River Catchment. The organisation is supported by Noosa Council and applies for grants from Queensland and Federal governments, along with other non-government organisations, to deliver projects that protect and improve the environment.
Each month, NICA coordinates water quality and nutrient testing in the river and lakes, providing valuable data about the health of the catchment. Volunteers also monitor shorebirds and waders near the mouth of the Noosa River, with results recorded in a national database that contributes to national conservation efforts.
NICA’s influence stretches well beyond the riverbanks. Through its Urban Wildlife Gardens program – supported by Noosa Council and other grants – residents are encouraged to turn backyards into biodiversity havens. Members receive an initial garden visit, free plants and resources, a regular newsletter and access to monthly talks and workshops.
Every March, NICA also coordinates Clean Up Australia Day across Noosa and the hinterland, organising around 20 clean-up sites that bring the community together for a shared purpose.
Back on the river, the morning patrol winds down. The water looks much the same as when we left – calm, inviting, deceptively pristine. But the pile of rubbish onboard tells a different story.
“We’re just caretakers of the River,” Yanni said. “Someone needs to do it.”
Keeping the Noosa River healthy isn’t a one-off clean-up. It’s an ongoing job, carried out by people who care deeply about this place — and who’ll be back on the water in another fortnight, hunting the big one once again.
To get involved with NICA, email admin@noosariver.com.au or visit www.noosariver.com.au
