Two skip bins of rubbish

Desire Gralton with Zoe and Jasmyn at the Unitywater-sponsored beach clean-up on Friday 3 March where more than 12,000 cigarette butts were collected.

By Jolene Ogle

Noosa cleaned up its act on Sunday 5 March with hundreds of locals turning out to pick up rubbish for Clean Up Australia Day.
The unofficial mayor of rubbish councillor Joe Jurisevic said the number of residents who turned out to help clear bushlands, the beach and streets of rubbish exceeded expectations.
“It was great to see so many volunteers, especially after the rain the night before. We thought we would be rained out, but when the sun came out, so did the volunteers,” he said.
Cr Jurisevic said once again there was far too much rubbish with bins at the sites being filled to the brim and more than 25 volunteers pulling two skip bins worth of rubbish from Yurol State Forest.
“People need to acknowledge the amount of rubbish they create and take responsibility for it,” he said.
The clean-up weekend started with a Unitywater sponsored beach clean-up in a bid to keep Noosa Main Beach free from plastic waste ahead of the Noosa Festival of Surfing.
The clean-up was hosted by the Noosa Community Biosphere Association (NCBA), and saw volunteers collect more than 12,000 cigarette butts, 150 straws and piles of plastic rubbish from the beach.
Turn to page 12 for more photos from Clean Up Australia Day throughout Noosa Shire.