College wins Landcare award

Brisbane Water Secondary College has won the Schools section of the Regional Landcare Awards for the Greater Sydney area for its efforts in reducing marine litter, through the Clean4shore program.

Clean4Shore won the Coastcare section and both Brisbane Water Secondary College and Clean4shore received automatic nominations to the State Landcare Awards, which are announced in October.

Participating in 13 clean-ups in the waterways of Tuggerah Lakes, Brisbane Water and the Hawkesbury River, Brisbane Water Secondary College staff, and students from the bushcraft, support and work experience programs, removed 15 tonne of litter, enhancing the native breeding areas for fish, bird and plants according to Clean4shore founder, Mr Graham Johnston.

The students uncovered vast amounts of plastic bottles and polystyrene in Narara Creek.

"Most of the 160 Landcare delegates at the ceremony were so impressed by the students' efforts that question time overflowed into the morning break with delegates keen to find out more about the school's commitment to the local environment," Mr Johnston said.

Teamwork, self-confidence, maritime and boating skills, together with leadership skills, were all part of the Clean4shore program.

Clean4Shore provided an organised, community-based effort to tackle litter and waste on an estuary-wide basis, according to Mr Johnston.

"These efforts are an essential part of arresting the decline in health of these systems while at the same time providing community engagement and education," Mr Johnston said.

From its start in 2010, the Clean4Shore program has expanded greatly, to include school, youth, community organisations, disability services, corporate organisations and the general public.

Initial work, along the foreshore of the Hawkesbury River, expanded into Brisbane Waters in 2012.

SOURCE:

Media release, 29 May 2017

Annual report 2016

Graham Johnston, Clean4Shore