Four-Wheel Drive Club Helps out with South Ballina Beach Cleanup
The Tweed Valley Four-wheel Drive Club and National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) rangers did a clean up of rubbish over 25 kilometres of beach from South Ballina Wall to a few kilometres north of Evans Head last Saturday. This operation was undertaken with the support of the Crown Lands Division of the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI).
Four-wheel drive club member and clean-up leader, Max Willoughby, said that the club was keen to help out with the rubbish clean up as it was important for beach users to contribute to conserving the environment which they enjoy.
‘Responsible beach users have a role to play and the club was happy to help out to clean up South Ballina Beach,’ Mr Willoughby said.
NPWS Ranger, Liz Dargin, said that almost one and a half tonnes of rubbish were removed from the beach with the help of 23 hard working members of the club who also enjoyed a picnic lunch.
‘The main type of rubbish removed was plastic bottles and ocean debris,’ Ms Dargin said.
‘With the recent floods a lot of material has been washed down the rivers and onto the beaches.’
‘The stretch of beach between South Ballina and Evans Head is an important habitat for nesting shorebirds such as endangered Pied Oystercatchers, Little Terns and Beach Stone-curlews. Green and Loggerhead turtles have also been known to nest in this area.’
‘Rubbish forms a danger to native wildlife as they can eat or become trapped in it. It is also unsightly for people who want to enjoy this beautiful stretch of beach.’
‘The combined effort of the Tweed Valley Four-wheel Drive Club members, NPWS staff and NSW DPI working together resulted in a cleaner beach for our threatened species and beach users,’ Ms Dargin said.
