Bundaberg Four Wheel Drive Club members joined with volunteers across the country to participate in Clean Up Australia Day.
This year marked the 29th anniversary of the event and our clubs 17th year participating in the worthwhile project.
“Our area of attack was the Burrum Coast National Park and in particular the Kinkuna camping zone,” a club spokesman said.
Bundaberg Regional Council set up a skip bin close to the area and the drivers of 19 vehicles picked up an estimated six cubic meters of rubbish from along the beach and camp zone.
The group found various items among the trees and along the beach, including sheets of corrugated iron, loads of loose bottles and cans, tyres, broken chairs, assorted bits of broken camping gear and a few single bed mattresses.
Being about 35km from Bundaberg, having campsites at the water's edge and set among the sheoaks, the area is popular with many four-wheel drivers.
Proximity and easy access lures many day trippers and campers.
How can you help?
The downfall is that a minor number of users do the wrong thing and leave rubbish behind.
Forward planning for a day out or camp trip would lead to less rubbish needing to be carried home.
- Remove all the plastic wrap and cartons that a lot of foodstuffs come encased in before you pack for your trip.
- Use aluminium cans so they can be crushed and recycled.
- Use less glass containers so the chance of breakage is minimised, and if fires are permitted, burn the combustible materials in a controlled manner.
“The irresponsible element that insists on throwing glass in fires leads to small fragments being dispersed in the sand, not only making it near impossible to pick up, but unable to be seen and can easily be stood on by others once the camp has moved on,” a club spokesman said.
“The camp zone has no facilities so disposal of bodily waste is something that everyone needs to consider when using the park.
“This year the items that stood out the most was the amount of toilet paper, plastic bags of excrement thrown on the ground or in trees and baby wipes (which don’t break down) strewn through the back tracks of the campsites.
“Take a shovel and bury your waste, better still take a portable toilet and dispose of the contents at the many dump points available.
With more and more campsites being shut off due to the lack of care by some people, it’s in everyone’s best interest to not only pick up after yourselves, but clean up any other rubbish nearby as well.”
Bundaberg 4WD Club
To find out more about the Bundaberg Four Wheel Drive Club and its activities, contact bundy4wd@bigpond.com by email, visit www.bundaberg4wdclub.com or see Facebook and Instagram.
By Braed Praed, Bundaberg Four Wheel Drive Club
