Gold Coast rolls up sleeves for Clean Up Australia Day 2019

Locals will roll up their sleeves for Clean Up Australia Day to get rid of more than three tonnes of rubbish clogging our waterways and bushland. FIND OUT WHERE YOU CAN GET INVOLVED.

FROM the city’s waterways to the bush, Gold Coasters are expected to collect more than three tonnes of rubbish today as the community joins together for Clean Up Australia Day.

Dozens of sites will be set up across the Coast during the entire day with locals encouraged to roll up their sleeves and help out.

Community groups have established a number of clean up sites including Wavebreak Island and South Stradbroke Island, as well as smaller parks and bushland sites around the region.

Clean Up Australia Day is the biggest nationally co-ordinated eco-event on the calendar, encouraging locals to pick up a rubbish bag and clean up the country.

Schools marked the day on Friday with a number of classes getting on board, while businesses also held their own event last week.

Some local groups also got started early, with a number of events on yesterday.

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The Gecko Environment Council, which helps to co-ordinate events on the Gold Coast, said last year more than 3000 volunteers collected 3.2 tonnes of rubbish during 182 local Clean Up Australia Day events.

Over 331,000 tonnes has been collected by locals in the last 26 years.

The number of Gold Coasters getting involved is also on the rise, with more people, particularly young people joining the call to arms in the last few years.

The Gold Coast Bulletin has compiled a list of public events listed on the Clean Up Australia Day website.

Tell us where you’ll be volunteering your time.

NORTHERN GOLD COAST

7am-8.30am- Days Rd, Upper Coomera. Cnr of Days Road and Bridie Drive.

7.30am-9am- Halcyon Way, Hope Island. Meet in the Sales car park.

8am-12pm- Santa Barbara boat ramp, Santa Barbara Road, Hope Island.

9am- Brown Island, South Stradbroke Island. Meet at northern end of the island.

9am- Stewart’s Park, cnr of Lahey Crt and Gawain Dr, Omeau. Organised by Rotary Club of Ormeau-Pimpama (Provisional).

9am- Coombabah Lake Nature Reserve. Bring your boat. Meet at Myola Ct.

9am-10am- Runaway Bay Sports Fields.

9am-12pm- Sudbury Drive park, Pimpama.

10am-12pm- Sandy Beach, Coomera Waters.

12pm- Columbus Drive, Hollywell.

4pm-5pm- Mangrove Jack Park, Helensvale. Meet near the off-lead dog park.

CENTRAL GOLD COAST

7am-8.30pm- Main Beach Surf Club.

7am-10am- Budds Beach, Surfers Paradise. Meet across the road from Bumbles Cafe near the toilets.

8am-10am- Cnr Wintergreen Drive and Ballybunion Drive, Parkwood.

8am-10am- Seaworld Dr, Main Beach. Meet in Philip Park car park, opposite the Sea World roundabout.

8am-11am- Hilltop Park, Turpin Rd, Labrador.

9am-10am- Lex Fox Park, Labrador. Cnr Marine Parade and Frank Street.

9am-1pm- Surfers Paradise Esplanade and Eileen Peters Park, 2 Trickett St. Organised by Ahmadi Muslims.

9am- Gold Coast Mosque, 144 Allied Dr, Arundel.

9.30-12.30pm- Pacific Pines parklands. 43 Midway Terrace, Pacific Pines.

10am-12pm- Black Swan Lake, Bundall.

10am-1pm- Benowa Park, Lambros Drive. Meet near the picnic tables.

11am-12.30pm- The Esplanade, Surfers Paradise. Meet near the Surfers Paradise sign.

2pm- Main Beach. Meet near the pavilion.

11am-1pm- Marine Parade, Biggera Waters. Meet at undercover area.

2pm-3pm- Silver Bridle Park, Ashmore. Meet at McDonalds.

2pm-4pm- Universal St and Saltwater Creek, Gaven. Meet at Binstead Way Playground near the skate park.

3.30pm-4.30pm- Benowa State High School. Meet near the soccer grounds.

3.30pm-6pm- Hibberd Park, Lionel Avenue, Southport near Loders Creek.

4pm-5.30pm- Cavil Ave, near McDonalds, Surfers Paradise. Organised by Paradise Angels.

SOUTHERN GOLD COAST

7.30am-9.30am- Somerset Estate, Mudgeeraba. Meet on the grass verge in front of the park on Wiltshire Drive. Organised by Mudgeeraba 6 Neighbourhood Watch.

8am-11am- Murlong Park, Tallebudgera Creek. Meet at 12 Murlong Cres, Palm Beach.

8am- Salk Oval and waterways, Sarawak Ave, Palm Beach. Meet at the scout hall.

8am-10am- Gecko Environment Council clean up Currumbin Creek. Meet at the mural at Gecko House — 139 Duringan Street.

8.30am-11.30am- David Fleays Wildlife Park, Burleigh Heads, meet in the carpark.

9am-10am- Raw Energy, Burleigh Heads.

9am-10.30am- The estuary, meet creekside of Currumbin RSL, 165 Duringan Street.

9am-11am- Tugun Girl Guides hut and surrounds, Cooinda Avenue, Currumbin.

9am-12.30pm- Division 11 clean up, Robina Common, Robina. Free BBQ.

11am-1.30pm- Justin Park, Burleigh Heads.

2pm-4pm- Justin Park, Burleigh Heads. Meet at the Surf Club.

TWEED

6am-10am- snorkelling and boating clean up of Tweed River, Fingal Head boat ramp, Fingal Rd. Organised by the Tweed Gold Coast Freedivers Club. Must be a strong snorkeller/diver.

8am- Lions Park Cabarita Beach foreshore, near the BBQ areas. Organised by Dunecare and Cabarita Beach Nippers.

9am-11am Solo Resource Recovery, 88-86 Chinderah Bay Drive, Chinderah, covering Tweed River clean up.

10am-12pm- Pottsville creek, meet in carpark near the shipping container.

10am-1pm- Chris Cunningham Park, Bay Street, Jack Evans Boat Harbour, Tweed Heads. BBQ provided by Twin Towns.

12pm-2pm- South Murwillumbah, meet at McDonalds on Tweed Valley Way.

4pm-6pm- Murwillumbah Showgrounds precinct, Mooball Street, meet up at the Merv Salmon gate entrance to Murwillumbah Community Garden.