Community
3 September, 2021
Do your bit to clean up the city
Grab a rubbish bag, phone a friend, and find your nearest Great Northern Clean Up site to do your bit for the environment this September.
The Great Northern Clean Up kicks off on Saturday (4 September) with three events:
Mooroobool – Shang Street Park, 9am-11am
Earlville – Lions Park, Henley St, 9am-11am
Smithfield – Library carpark, Leisure Park Rd, 9am-11am
Cairns Regional Council is coordinating Great Northern Clean Up sites at 15 litter hotspots this year, from Trinity Beach in the north to Gordonvale in the south.
Residents of all ages are invited to ‘join a crew near you’, with several clean-up events being held every weekend throughout the month of September.
Last year, over 300 volunteers helped to picked up almost 12,000 litres of rubbish, or 50 full wheelie bins.
Soft plastics, such as food wrappers and chip packets, were the most commonly discarded items followed by drink containers and cigarette butts.
Other items that littered the region’s parks and waterways included car bodies, construction materials, children’s toys and nappies, and batteries.
Cairns Mayor Bob Manning said the annual clean up event gave everyone the chance to show how much they value the environment.
“The Great Northern Clean Up is more than just volunteers picking up rubbish. It’s a chance to do something positive – for yourself and the environment,’ Cr Manning said.
“Let’s get this done – September is the perfect time to clean up our parks, foreshores and waterways with the wet season just a couple of months away.
“By cleaning up now, we can reduce the chance of litter being washed into the sea or blocking up our waterways and causing flooding when the wet arrives.”
Councillor Terry James, who has two sites registered this Saturday – Shang Street Park in Mooroobool and Lions Park in Earlville, said getting involved was easy.
“All people need to do is find a clean-up site in your area and come along on the day,” Cr James said. “Participants receive clean-up tools, including bags and gloves, from Clean Up Australia Day.”
Council will also use the Clean Up to track the types and volume of rubbish collected, which will help with education and enforcement activities around littering and illegal dumping.
Find the site nearest you by visiting Council’s website.
Safety Requirement:
Wear enclosed footwear, sun smart clothing and BYO water bottle.
Stay at home if you are unwell or have a cough, fever, sore throat, fatigue or shortness of breath.
On the day, be kind to others, wash your hands regularly and practice social distancing.
Council coordinated Great Northern Clean Up Sites:
Saturday 4 September: Mooroobool – Shang Street Park, 9am-11am
Saturday 4 September: Earlville – Lions Park, Henley St, 9am-11am
Saturday 4 September: Smithfield – Library carpark, Leisure Park Rd, 9am-11am
Saturday 11 September: Holloways Beach – Billy Jagar Reserve, Oleander St, 9am-11am
Saturday 11 September: Yorkeys Knob – Corner of Varley St and Lees St, 9am-11am
Sunday 12 September: Mooroobool – Mestrez St footbridge, 9am-11am
Sunday 12 September: Stratford – Rinks Cl fishing jetty, 9am-11am
Saturday 18 September: Trinity Beach – Taylors Point, Moore St, 8am-10am
Saturday 18 September: North Cairns – 28 Grove St, 9am-11am
Sunday 19 September: Bentley Park – Sinclair Miller Bridge, Ravizza Dr, 9am-11am
Sunday 19 September: Edmonton – Corner of Hambledon Dr and Walker Rd, 9am-11am
Saturday 25 September: Forest Gardens – Banyan Cl picnic shelter, 9am-11am
Saturday 25 September: Smithfield – Rainy Mountain Park, Cumberland Ave, 9am-11am
Saturday 25 September: Parramatta Park – Minnie St, behind Parramatta State School, 9am-11am
Sunday 26 September: Gordonvale – Ross and Locke, Gillies Range Rd, 9am-11am
