KAYAKERS will take to Tingalpa Creek on Sunday, March 3 as a part of national efforts on Clean Up Australia Day.
The event, hosted by Redlands Kayak Tours, will see volunteers paddling around the upper reaches of the creek collecting rubbish.
Redlands Kayak Tours owner and manager Katrina Beutel said the event would be hosted in partnership with Positive Change for Marine Life, an organisation which focussed on reducing the impact of debris and pollution on marine ecosystems.
PCML CEO and co-founder Karl Goodsell said the organisation’s projects over the past seven years had shown an increase in marine debris and pollution in waterways.
“We’ve also realised through our engagement programs that there is a major lack of awareness among the public as to the extent of the issue and the impacts that it has on marine ecosystems, recreational users and local economies,” Mr Goodsell said.
He added that the Tingalpa Creek clean up would coincide with the expansion of PCML’s River Warriors project into the Redlands.
The project would see the organisation collecting waterway debris data, hosting community engagement programs and working on pollution mitigation measures.
“In 2018, we applied for funding from Redland City Council to expand the program to Tingalpa Creek (which is) a highly ecologically diverse estuary,” Mr Goodsell said.
“(It) is currently under threat from urbanisation and associated pollution.
“We were successful in our grant application and will commence our first survey on the estuary to coincide with Redland Kayak Tours major clean on Clean Up Australia Day.
“We will then run 11 baseline surveys with our team, before producing (a marine debris) report card and engaging the public to assist us in addressing the issue.”
Terrie-Ann Johnson, managing director of Clean Up Australia, urged individuals and groups to get involved in community events on Clean Up Australia Day.
“There are so many actions every one of us can take to help reduce the 8 million tonnes of plastic entering our oceans worldwide each year,” Ms Johnson said.
Ms Beutel said the clean-up would be focussed on the upper reaches of Tingalpa Creek, and people with kayaks were welcome to join on the day.
People interested in attending should RSVP to Katrina Beutel at admin@redlandskayaktours.com.au or on 1300 529 258.
