Flood fallout creates plastic, polystyrene disaster for Moreton Island

Grim pictures and stories have emerged as clean-up crews say it will take months to restore one of the southeast’s pristine islands after it was littered with pontoons, polystyrene, wrecked boats and rubbish from the floods. SEE THE DEVASTATION

Clean up crews say it will take months to restore one of the southeast’s pristine islands after it was littered with pontoons, polystyrene, wrecked boats and rubbish from the floods.

The last of boats dragged down the raging Brisbane River and onto Moreton Island (Mulgumpin) were pulled off on Tuesday and just a couple of larger items, including pontoons, remain to be taken back to the mainland.

But Sea Shepherd remote marine debris campaigner Grahame Lloyd said waste was continually floating onto the golden sands of the island paradise.

The flood debris washed up on Moreton Island. Photo: Steve Pohlner

Mr Lloyd has been cleaning at the holiday destination since the weekend when more than 100 volunteers, rangers and island staff removed 5 tonnes of trash from the western beaches.

The greatest concern is chunks of polystyrene, from pontoons, washing ashore as it can take more than 500 years to break down.

Sea Shepherd volunteers including Grahame Lloyd (centre) with Queensland Parks and Wildlife staff cleaning up Moreton Island.

“It was just disgusting,” Mr Lloyd said.

“It’s heart wrenching because of all the animals and marine life here.

“You just see all this styrofoam and plastic and know that turtles and dugongs are eating that- it’s hard to face.”

Mr Lloyd said the floods highlighted the need for alternatives to polystyrene in large structures that could be swept to sea.

Millions of styrofoam balls along the beach on Moreton Island. And the dolphins haven't been turning up to Tangalooma to feed since the #qldfloodspic.twitter.com/FJTn3piNbb

— Jessica Marszalek (@JessMarie_News) March 8, 2022

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner posted to social media about the “environmental disaster waiting to happen” on Sunday when he visited Moreton Island to witness the fallout.

“We really need to have a look at what materials these things can be made out of,” he said in a video with a wrecked pontoon.

Adrian Schrinner the Lord Mayor of Brisbane, talking to Greg Curtis from Bulwer. Photo: Steve Pohlner

Cr Schrinner told The Courier-Mail it was upsetting to see the amount of debris that had washed up and Moreton Island needed to be cleaned as quickly as possible.

“Styrofoam from numerous pontoons are being smashed up on the shores of the island, breaking into thousands of little pieces and threatening our waterways,” he said.

“While the actual beach and waters of Moreton Island are a State responsibility, we have provided five skip bins to the island to help clear the beach waste as soon as possible.

“The residents and visitors to Moreton Island have been absolutely incredible in banding together to clean up the shoreline and island.

“These people are so passionate about protecting their island and getting rid of the debris as soon as possible.”

The flood debris washed up on Morton Island. Photo Steve Pohlner

Cr Schrinner said the council would continue to provide and empty the skip bins on the island for as long as required.

He reminded Brisbane residents to support the Moreton Island community by booking a day trip or holiday.

“Our continued support will speed up their recovery and ensure they remain one of south east Queensland’s best tourism destinations,” he said.

Adrian Schrinner, the Lord Mayor of Brisbane, talking to locals from Bulwer and cleaning up the flood debris. Photo: Steve Pohlner

The murky water on western side of the island is slowly clearing but no one was snorkelling Tangalooma Wrecks in the heat of Tuesday afternoon.

Mr Lloyd was this week helping Queensland Parks and Wildlife Services Rangers, and Quandamooka Yoolooburrabee Aboriginal Corporation Land and Sea Rangers to collect and transfer the waste onto barges headed for Brisbane.

Crews have completed an initial clean on the northern end of the island and are now tackling the area below the resort.

“In regards to the clean up, it will take months,” he said.

“I walked 250m at a beach, we had already cleared, this morning and within 20 minutes I collected about 5kg of fragments of single-use plastic that had washed in overnight.”

Alanna Boisen and Zeb Hornabrook from Bulwer. Photo: Steve Pohlner

Mr Lloyd said two large pontoons remained on the land at Moreton on Tuesday afternoon as authorities worked through the large debris that needed to be pulled back to Brisbane.

There have also been reports of chunks of polystyrene washing ashore on Sunshine Coast beaches and Noosa North Shore.

A Department of Environment and science spokeswoman said rangers from the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service were carrying out clean up operations and initial damage repairs in flood-affected marine parks, national parks, conservation parks and visitor areas across the southeast.

“Work is underway to remove displaced pontoons and boating material from Mulgumpin (Moreton Island), other islands in Moreton Bay and further north including Teewah Beach and K’gari (Fraser Island),” the spokeswoman said.

“Rangers will continue to work with other government agencies, community groups and indigenous corporations to clean up small and large debris in coastal parks and inland.”

Originally published as Flood fallout creates plastic, polystyrene disaster for Moreton Island