Coral Sea Marina Clean Up Australia effort
The team at Coral Sea Marina Resort committed to making a difference in their backyard, joining the throngs of people around the country in the annual Clean Up Australia Day blitz.
10 March 2022
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In partnership with Tangaroa Blue Foundation and the Rotary Club of Airlie Beach, Coral Sea Marina Resort called upon the Whitsunday community on Sunday 6 March to join them in the Clean Up Australia Day campaign.
“The first Sunday in March is generally a scorcher in the tropics – and that was especially true this year – so we were thrilled to have a dedicated group of volunteers brave the heat and help us do our part,” says Kate Purdie, CEO of Coral Sea Marina.
“We take great pride in our on and offshore facilities to continuously ensure they’re well-maintained, so it was surprising to see how much rubbish we found adjacent to the CSMR precinct.
“After dedicated campaigns to reduce the use of plastic straws and plastic bags, it was great to see fewer of them this year, but they’ve been replaced by disposable masks and shopping receipt – a compelling reminder that the real issue is single-use anything, not just plastics.”
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The Rotary Club of Airlie Beach cleaned up areas only accessible by boat, while others walked Airlie Beach’s boardwalk and shores collecting litter.
Collection bags were provided by Tangaroa Blue as part of their ReefClean program. The litter was sorted, monitored and weighed, then inputted into the Australian Marine Debris Initiative database for further analysis. In total, 131 kilograms of litter was collected.
“Clean up Australia Day is a wonderful opportunity for the community to partner up to benefit our environment,” says Heidi Tait, CEO of Tangaroa Blue Foundation.
“Every piece of rubbish removed also removes the threat it poses to our wildlife, and every piece of data collected provides the evidence needed to push for change.”
Coral Sea Marina is also working with the Tangaroa Blue Foundation on the ReefClean Ditch the Flick campaign. The campaign is designed to drive behavioural changes among smokers on the Great Barrier Reef.
“Cigarette butts are the number one littered item in the Australian Marine Debris Initiative Database, so projects like these are essential in reducing the plastic footprint impacting the Great Barrier Reef,” says Heidi.
The Coral Sea Marina is the first marina to implement the ReefClean Ditch the Flick program. A social and digital campaign by the marina aims to generate awareness over the coming months.
“We look forward to seeing a reduction in cigarettes on the ground during our ReefClean Clean Up Day in October, an event that will be open to the public with all guests and members of our local community welcome,” Kate adds.
The Clean Up Australia Day event was coordinated through Coral Sea Marina’s educational event platform – the Coral Sea Academy. The Coral Sea Academy provides events for people to consciously connect with boating and the environment.
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