Sunday 7 March is the date for Clean Up Australia Day 2021, when thousands of Australians wage war on rubbish and litter lying in their parks, streets, creeks and beaches.
Across Noosa hundreds of volunteers will gear up with gloves and sacks and join in at one of the local CUAD sites.
Noosa Integrated Catchment Association (NICA) is all set for Clean Up Australia Day with 20 locations around the Noosa Biosphere where you can join local community groups and volunteers to get involved.
Sites are advertised in the local papers and online at www.noosariver.com.au, or you can search for a site near you at cleanupaustraliaday.org.au
NICA Chair, Bruce Hallett, hopes to continue attention focused on cleaning-up sites along the Noosa river.
“NICA and many others continue cleaning up the Noosa river, wetlands, and creeks, and helping to maintain and enhance the health and natural amenity of our waterways, and have done for well over the past decade,“ he said.
“The lower river, estuary and lakes are the central components of Noosa’s urban biosphere, and need our care and attention.”
As part of this year’s Clean Up, NICA will again coordinate a Noosa River Rubbish Audit, to record the quantities and types of rubbish collected from sites along the Noosa River.
Tewantin and Noosaville residents are asked to join local school and community groups, OzFish, Unity Water and NICA volunteers to collect rubbish and litter from the riverside parks and reserves in Tewantin and Noosaville.
Volunteers on land will work from the registration point at the Tewantin boat ramp, up-river to Lakeside Park and Ferry Park and down-river to Lake Doonella and Hilton Esplanade.
Boaties and kayakers can also work with the NICA RiverWatch and OzFish boats and collect rubbish from the water, mangroves and islands along the same stretch of the river. Low tide in the river at Tewantin will be around 10am, which will help to make it a thorough river rubbish Clean Up. The collected rubbish will be sorted and counted at the boat ramp site.
Site coordinator Peter Hunnam said the results will be used to help improve management of the Noosa River.
“By better understanding the types of rubbish getting into the river system, and how they get there, we can accurately target the sources and help devise science-based solutions,” he said.
There are locations across the Noosa region where the public can turn up and register on the day to be a part of the Clean Up.
All Hinterland towns are involved as usual including Boreen Point, Kin Kin, Cooran, Pomona and Cooroy with sites also located in Tewantin, Sunshine Beach, Peregian and Sunrise Shops, and at the Ferry ramp if you are heading to the Noosa North Shore.
Clean Up Australia Day in Noosa would not be a success without the generous support of the Noosa Shire Council, local businesses and community volunteers. All volunteers registered at Noosa sites will again go into the draw for prizes generously donated by The Sofitel Noosa and Peppers Resort and Spa. Our Clean Up Day is also proudly supported by Cleanaway and Allcott Hire to ensure that all the waste is disposed of properly.
Volunteers are welcome to join us for lunch at Noosaville Lions Park provided by the Noosa Lions Club after the event or at one of the BBQs being hosted at some of the other sites.
Everyone is welcome to put on a hat, grab some gloves and bring a water bottle, and Step Up to Clean Up at one of the registration sites near you to be a part of Clean Up Australia Day in Noosa from 8am on Sunday 7 March.
