THE call went out and the community responded in kind, to clean up the Myall River from the bottom up last week.

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Divers, Suzanne Fiebig, son Kasper Fiebig and Isabelle Strachan, took to the waters off Hawks Nest and Tea Gardens to recover items that had no place being in the river.

Above, teams in kayaks, members of the SES and Tea Gardens Hawks Nest Life Saving Club and more than a dozen volunteers were on hand to collect the garbage and ensure the safety of all involved.

Greg Dodd from the SES Forster supplied a punt to be used as a recovery vessel, while Greg Snape caught the first catch of the day, a barnacled beach chair.

Rod Larkin from the Palm Lake Resort Kayak Group, told News Of The Area, “We heard about the clean up and we wanted to help.”

“We found chains, eskies, a lot of bottles, thongs and ugg boots.”

Other items recovered from the water included nine push bikes, car tyres, three marine batteries, dumbbells, anchors, heaps of fishing gear, beach towels, sunglasses and a few road signs.

In all four trailer loads headed off to the local tip.

Suzanne Fiebig, who was involved in the first river clean up last year said the conditions this time round were much better.

“The water was warmer and the visibility was much better.”

“There are a lot of bottles which we left because they had become embedded and now house many species of marine life.”

“I love the Tea Gardens community and I’m happy to come back anytime,” Suzanne said.

This year’s clean up was again organised by the Myall River Action Group with the help of many businesses and community groups.

Among those who donated goods, funding and services were Jessica Harris from Lazy Paddles Jeff’s Quality Meats, the Mangrove Café, Hawks Nest IGA, MidCoast Council, Clarries BoatShed and Ben and Emily Hanson from the Tea Gardens Hotel/Motel who provided free accommodation for the divers.

By Margie TIERNEY