Every year, hundreds of people across Australia participate in annual Clean Up Australia Day events and Coral Sea Marina is once again rallying the Whitsundays community to take action by joining them on Sunday 2nd March for a clean-up of the region.
In partnership with the Tangaroa Blue Foundation and the ReefClean program, Coral Sea Marina are putting out the call to the Airlie Beach community to come and leave their mark in preserving the pristine waters and coastline of the Whitsundays.
Volunteers are invited to spend the morning collecting litter on the land, around the islands or from our waterways. Debris recovered will be sorted and recorded by Tangaroa Blue and their passionate volunteers, contributing valuable data to the Australian Marine Debris Initiative (AMDI). This national data collection program helps identify sources of pollution and assists with the development of source reduction programs which protect our marine environment.
“For the last few years we have coordinated a Clean-Up Australia event, firstly to engage the community to seek simple ways they can positively contribute to protecting the marine environment, but also to show our support for this important national initiative,” explains Joscelyn O’Keefe, Head of Marketing and Business Development at Coral Sea Marina.
More than 22 million Aussies have participated in Clean Up Australia Day activities in the last three decades and as Australia’s waste challenges continue to grow, there is an increasing need to step up and support solutions. With attendance at last year’s event of around 60 people, the marina is hoping to attract a crowd of at least 100 to this year’s event.
Ms O’Keefe continues, “The engagement we have had in the past, particularly from those with young families, is incredibly encouraging and a Clean Up Australia day event provides the community with a platform to make a difference in our own backyard.”
“By working together with Tangaroa Blue and ReefClean, we can ensure that items collected contribute to meaningful data records and positive change for our region. Last year we collected over 100kg of litter which was successfully removed, in some cases recycled, from entering our waterways and polluting the marine environment.”
The Clean Up Australia Day event starts at 8am with volunteers to meet at Meeting Point D, Coral Sea Marina. All volunteers are encouraged to be sun safe – wear long sleeved clothing, a hat, sunscreen and bring plenty of water. Collection bags and gloves will be provided on the day.
Following the clean-up, volunteers will have the opportunity to learn more about the impact of marine debris from the team at Tangaroa Blue and how to take ongoing action to protect our oceans.
The marina’s Coral Sea Academy provides opportunities for visitors and the community to engage with environmental programs and participate in volunteer opportunities and community events. The mission of the Coral Sea Academy is to educate and inspire people to ‘travel for good’ and leave the Whitsundays better than they found it, and the annual Clean Up Australia Day event is the perfect opportunity to locals and visitors to step up for the environment.
For more information on the event or to register your interest visit the Coral Sea Academy website: coralseaacademy.com
For those unable to attend this year’s event, Ms O’Keefe explains how easy it is to make an impact, “The next time you are at the beach, boating around the islands or walking along the waterfront, collect 5 pieces of litter and dispose of them correctly – encourage your family and friends to do the same. Every day can be Clean Up Australia day – it doesn’t just need to be on 2 March!”
