waterways-banner.jpg
Share

Clean4Shore

Protecting Our Waterways Through Community Action

For over a decade, Hornsby Shire Council has partnered with Clean4Shore, providing funding to involve local high schools in hands-on field trips. These outings generally include educational sessions led by Council staff, focusing on catchment and stormwater management issues.

Clean4Shore is a dedicated, not-for-profit community organisation based in MacMasters Beach on the Central Coast of NSW. The program brings together schools, youth groups, disability organisations, community volunteers, and corporate teams to tackle litter and debris along the foreshores of the Hawkesbury River, Brisbane Waters, Tuggerah Lakes System, and more recently, Lower Lake Macquarie and the Hunter River.

The initiative, which has received multiple awards for its impact and innovation, relies heavily on grant funding to engage community groups, hire subcontracting vessels, and manage the transportation and disposal of collected waste. After every Clean4Shore event, a summary of the type and quantity of marine debris collected is documented on a detailed data sheet. This valuable information is shared with the Australian Marine Debris Initiative via the Tangaroa Blue Foundation, contributing to a national database on marine pollution.

Removing litter, particularly plastics and polystyrene, not only enhances the visual appeal of our estuaries but also significantly benefits the health of estuarine and marine ecosystems. Volunteers gain a unique, educational experience—combining environmental stewardship with adventure—while actively addressing the global challenge of waterway pollution.