Eco Barge Clean Seas and Cruise Whitsundays host community clean up event

An event this weekend invites the community to help Whitsundays marine life survive and thrive.

Eco Barge Clean Seas volunteers invite Whitsundays visitors and residents to join them at a community clean up event on World Turtle Day. Picture: Supplied.

Whitsunday residents and visitors are invited to join a community clean up event this Sunday, May 23 to mark World Turtle Day.

Hosted by Eco Barge Clean Seas and Cruise Whitsundays, the land-based event aims to prevent local litter becoming marine debris, and in turn help the marine environment and all its wildlife survive and thrive.

Wear sun smart clothes and enclosed shoes and head down to the Cruise Whitsundays Terminal from 9am to 11.30am to do your bit to keep our iconic town and oceans pristine.

Morning tea and equipment will be provided to all participants.

Six of the world's seven species of marine turtle can be found off the Queensland coast, with five of these species listed as vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. Picture: Eco Barge Clean Seas.

The Eco Barge team will also be celebrating this weekend as it enters into the seventh year partnering with Cruise Whitsundays in caring for sick and injured turtles in the region.

Eco Barge's founding chair Libby Edge said the partnership with the largest marine operator in the Whitsundays was vital in island turtle rescues.

"Thanks to Cruise Whitsundays, we have worked together to rescue many turtles around the Whitsundays, with their crew and vessels safely bringing sick or injured turtles back to Airlie Beach where we can then provide the care they need at our Whitsunday Turtle Rescue Centre," Ms Edge said.

"We are so lucky to have this support to help us rescue turtles out among the islands that otherwise we would not be able to reach."

Cruise Whitsundays acting general manager Lee Newton was proud to support Eco Barge Clean Seas in 2021 and beyond.

"We are privileged to take visitors into the Whitsundays Great Barrier Reef Marine Park every day. Ensuring our waters and marine life remain as pristine and well cared for as possible is a top priority for Cruise Whitsunday," Mr Newton said.

Originally published as Cleaning up the Whitsunday coast on World Turtle Day