A number community groups registered this year to clean up areas of the Coffs Harbour LGA, with volunteers thankful for a cool overcast morning with a touch of a southerly breeze.

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“Conditions were far more pleasant, albeit a bit damp in the undergrowth,” Clean Up Australia Day community spokesperson Dave Wood told News Of The Area.

Dave joined an energetic group of seventeen volunteers who met at 8am at the top carpark of Boambee Headland, a local tourism hotspot.

The volunteers proceeded to pick up rubbish from across the headland, focusing on areas adjacent to the carpark, access road and walking trails.

“Included among these local volunteers were two intergenerational families with grandparents, parents and children all taking the opportunity to work together for a couple of hours to make a difference to the local environment and an iconic local landmark,” said Dave.

“There is nothing like leading by example.”

While a large percentage of that picked up was general waste and fast-food containers, larger items such as a bicycle and an old car tyre were located.

All rubbish collected was sorted, bagged-up where necessary and taken to the local waste facility.

“One of our vollies donated his time and trailer which was a great help,” Dave said.

“Apart from the unsightly appearance of litter in the natural environment, and obvious danger posed from broken glass, the largest impact is posed to wildlife, as items can cause entrapment and pose an increasing danger as they degrade,” he said.

While there are three small general waste bins adjacent to the top carpark on Boambee Headland, and Council staff regularly remove additional items, there is no facility for recyclables.

“Although, a cynic may well be inclined to think if a person is willing to discard their rubbish in our wonderful environment the lack of a recyclable facility would not make much difference,” Dave said.

“People who are tempted to dump larger items of hard waste may also be surprised to know that our Englands Road waste facility does have a variety of easy access, no charge options for specific recyclable materials.

“While the larger area on Boambee Headland could now be said to be pretty much ‘litter free’, it would be nice to think that more users will make the small effort required to act responsibly with their rubbish into the future, and there will not be a need for Clean Up Australia Day on Boambee Headland for many years to come,” said Dave.

By Andrea FERRARI