It was a beach fit for a royal visit - there wasn't a food wrapper or discarded bottle in sight.
And when Prince Harry and wife Meghan stepped onto the impeccable sand of South Melbourne Beach on Thursday afternoon, the only trash to be seen was in the brimming collection bags held by schoolkids.
The Duke and Duchess were at the beach to learn about the BeachPatrol program, clearing Melbourne's shores of litter to reduce the negative impact on the environment and food chain.
Albert Park College 15-year-old Harry Overall was among the students lined up to meet the couple and said the sixth-in-line-to-the-throne was particularly interested in micro plastics.
He described the visiting royals as "very casual" as they chatted and listened with interest about how collectors keep tally of the types of litter picked up.
Zoe Cartlidge, nine, from Port Melbourne Primary School said Prince Harry did most of the talking and when the couple left the group he told them "you're doing a very good job".
"My mum's back there so she took a lot of photos," the excited schoolgirl said.
The beach visit was the last stop in Melbourne for the royal couple, who then jetted back to Sydney.
Australian Associated Press
