Great Northern Australia Clean up Day

Wednesday, 16 September 2009 06:16

Ian Kiernan was in Cairns recently and I was pleased to partner with him in launching the Great Northern Australia Cleanup Day to be held on 3rd and 4th October 2009. Those of us who have taken part in Clean Up Australia Day in the first week of March know that it often rains, it's as hot as can be and humid as well. To counteract that, communities and cities across Northern Australia will have their own clean up day in early October. As well as avoiding the heat, humidity, mosquitoes and floods that can plague the clean up in March, we will be able to get creeks and waterways cleaned up prior to the cyclone season. Cairns Regional Council is supporting the day and we are urging community groups, businesses and individuals to get behind the campaign to clean up our waterways. To register a site got to www.cleanup.org.au or phone 1800 282 329. We launched the Northern Clean up day at the Turtle Rehabilitation Centre in Tingira St, Portsmith. At the centre it is clear what can happen to turtles who inadvertently swallow rubbish. Huge turtles with Floater's Disease, are being monitored at the centre whilst plastics, netting, fishing lines etc, which have lodged in a mass in their stomachs, are gradually expelled so that the turtles can be returned to the wild with the ability to hunt, feed and survive.