Students from Mosman primary and high schools came together for an education and environment event at Balmoral to celebrate the 35th anniversary of Clean Up Australia Day.
The schools beach clean-up on 28 February was hosted by Mosman Council, Clean Up Australia and Green Schools Collective, which brings schools together to connect and collaborate on climate change issues and sustainability.
Clean Up Australia was founded in 1990 by Ian Kiernan AO. Since its inception, more than 22 million Australians have registered as a volunteer for Clean Up activities within their local community year-round. The 2024 Clean Up Australia Day campaign alone collected an estimated 140,000 bags of litter nationally, highlighting the continued importance and relevance of Clean Up events and volunteers.
A Schools Clean Up Day traditionally takes place on the Friday before the broader community Clean Up Australia Day, which in 2025 is on Sunday 2 March.
Clean Up Australia Chair Pip Kiernan attended the Mosman schools' event.
"Clean Up Australia has a rich history of mobilising Australians to take practical action to clean up the mass amount of litter and waste that makes its way into our beautiful waterways and other natural surroundings," she said.
"We know that 35 years on from when my father, Ian Kiernan, started this iconic organisation, our fight against litter is nowhere near over, but we also know that as a society we need to shift our habits to consider litter prevention and best practice to stop it from entering our environment in the first place."
Mosman Mayor Ann Marie Kimber said the Schools Clean Up Day was designed to inspire students to learn about the impact of rubbish on their local environment, while playing an active role in their community.
"Our students have done a wonderful job, stepping up as the next generation to care for and protect the environment here in Mosman and acting for the benefit of the broader community," she said.
Green Schools Collective Director Jenni Hagland said the clean-up event was a great way for students to apply lessons in sustainability outside of the classroom.
"Today, we're bringing educators and students together to inspire and educate the community about Australia's litter and waste problem," she said.
"We hope that by mobilising the whole community and raising awareness, we can create a ripple effect that extends to families throughout the local area."
