Clean up a shore thing

A group of volunteers who clean up rubbish at the Werribee South beach are celebrating their third anniversary.

The 3030 Beach Patrol, which regularly cleans up areas including Campbells Cove and the K Road cliffs, started in 2015.

Within this time, the group – which meets every fortnight – has removed thousands of kilograms of litter from Wyndham’s outdoors.

During one weekend last month, the Beach Patrol team collected 2000 cigarettes, two tyres and 193 bottles and cans.

After each clean-up, the volunteers gather for a barbecue lunch cooked by volunteers from the local Indian community, often the Australian India Foundation Incorporated.

On Saturday, the Beach Patrol team hosted a marquee in Station Place, Werribee, to mark the group’s birthday.

During the event, the patrol invited residents to sign a petition calling for the state government to introduce a container deposit scheme in Victoria.

The Beach Patrol also displayed a three-metre long “big bottle” from the Boomerang Alliance, an Australian not-for-profit group working to reduce marine plastic pollution.

The big bottle tours around the state, to help raise awareness of the impact which rubbish has on the ocean environment and the importance of container deposit schemes.

The 3030 Beach Patrol hosts clean-up
days on the second Sunday each month, from 11am to noon. Contact convener Rob Bradley on robjan5@tpg.com.au for more information.

Alesha Capone