A Wet Clean Up Australia day ...

So many thanks to all those who fronted up during and between rain showers for the annual picking up of rubbish - in this instance, sodden rubbish, from the environs of North Arm Cove. This year due to the brilliant turn out, 27 very able souls in all, we ranged further than expected and as a result North Arm Cove looks a whole lot better for it.

There was less rubbish than in the past, so that meant we could look at other areas. My genuine thanks goes to Mr. Tony Hann for his help in giving me such an erudite transfer of the reins and his very practical help. I also thank him for running this scenario in the past and if I could do half as good a job as he did I would be satisfied.

If there has to be an award, it would be a close run between the Anderson / Carter family team who picked up along the foreshore along Wide Bay, the Adrienne / Shauna /Uli / Whispah team who cleaned Brackens Bay and Heros Beach, and the Len / Peter team who ranged as far as the Rock on Goreengi Way where they went boldly where we haven’t been before to pick up rubbish so ....

The winners are.... the Anderson / Carter family team who asked if they could pick up on the Saturday instead, and I was delighted that they were so proactive to suggest this. 10/10 for being so keen. Sue, Phil, Jan, Susan, Ben, Zeb, Eli, Bexley and James picked up many bags of rubbish off the rocky crags of Wide Bay and ended up getting wet in the process. For your efforts you will receive one personally autographed (by Ian Kiernan) Clean Up Australia Day posterette and an armful of tombelinis from the Community Garden. Well done there.

There should be an award to those that looked the most bedraggled due to the rain. Everybody was wet towards the end and I hope nobody caught a cold as a result. But the most bedraggled was an almost tie between Doug Kohlhoff and Whispah the dog. Doug won out, partly due to a technicality – Whispah’s signature on the registration form was illegible - so thanks Doug for a sterling effort as you walked a long way and I hope you didn’t suffer too much. But you did get seriously wet and I do understand why you didn’t want your photo taken. Pity though – would have looked good in Cove News – or the internet.

The other nomination is for the most unusual object picked up. This would have to go to the Adrienne / Shauna /Uli / Whispah team for picking up a three man kayak that appeared to be the result of a polaris submarine having mated with an ocarina. Interesting.

So many thanks to those that attended with such good humour on such a dull day. Certainly made it easy for me as I only felt a slight tinge of guilt as the one who had to remain and man the headquarters, to generally chat and stay dry...

Next year we might look at

• Tea and Coffee etc at 10:00 am when everyone should have finished. Most are tired and want to clean up themselves after cleaning up Australia, but a quick refreshment should be offered. I am told that other CUA groups do this.
• Those that regularly walk the area are encouraged to let me know where rubbish is close to the CUA date. Even though Tony and I drove around looking for junk, more was picked up than we found by us.
• Those that propose to attend, could pre book their route / area of choice with me so they don’t have to wait to be briefed on the day. Just sign in, say g’day to me, and go pick up rubbish.
• Alternative times / days are possible, not everyone is available on Sunday morning, so I would encourage attendees to get in touch and I can arrange bags, gloves and registration etc.
• Somebody to act cheerfully as a runner, taking photos, issuing more bags and encouragement, offer emergency rations, note where everyone is and in some cases - how far they have gone and where bags have been left. Also to gauge safety issues.
• Let me know what you think how things could be more efficient and email me your suggestions.

Thanks again to everybody who participated and I encourage those that plan to participate next time to do so. See you next year when I hope rain won’t be an issue.. ... Robert