Borough of Queenscliffe councillors and volunteers removed 440kgs of litter and illegally dumped rubbish from public areas over the weekend as part of a council-organised Clean Up Australia Day event.
Starting in Stoneman Reserve in Point Lonsdale and continuing through surrounding dunes and bushland, volunteers successfully removed 440 kilograms of dumped rubbish on Sunday. Items collected during the clean up included glass bottles, aluminium cans, beach toys, bike wheels, and even a couple of lounge chairs. Borough Mayor Ross Ebbels, who joined the volunteer group alongside Councillors Hewitt and Grout, said it was inspiring to see the community coming together for the clean up.
"Seeing so many residents lend a helping hand despite the day's challenging weather really shows what makes this community so special," Mayor Ebbels said. "I want to thank all of our volunteers who took part in the day and helped us make our community a cleaner place to live."
Volunteers sorted the litter on the day, separating out recyclables to reduce the amount of rubbish being sent to landfill. Mayor Ebbels said that while the vast majority of Borough residents disposed of their waste correctly, he wanted to remind anyone dumping rubbish that it could result in substantial penalties.
"With Council's annual hard waste and e-waste collection, as well as regular kerbside bin collection, there's no need to dump rubbish in public areas to dispose of it," Cr Ebbels said. "We all have a role to play in keeping our environment clean – everyone can do their part by disposing of rubbish properly, and contacting Council if you're not sure how to dispose of waste."
Volunteers were treated to a coffee after their efforts courtesy of the Point Lonsdale Surf Life Saving Club, who generously supported the event.
