General News
2 March, 2023
Time to clean up
Collecting trash and debris from roads, a local club is tackling the mess head-on this Clean Up Australia Day — and they are on the lookout for additional helping hands. Volunteers are set to undertake cleaning efforts this Sunday as part of the...
Collecting trash and debris from roads, a local club is tackling the mess head-on this Clean Up Australia Day — and they are on the lookout for additional helping hands.
Volunteers are set to undertake cleaning efforts this Sunday as part of the country’s biggest community-centred environmental initiative, which has been running every year for the past three decades.
Locally, the Carisbrook Lions Club will be out in force, collecting rubbish dumped along the Pyrenees Highway, between Maryborough and Carisbrook — an endeavour they’ve taken up for nearly 20 years.
“I think it’s disappointing to see rubbish lying around on the side of the road between Maryborough and Carisbrook on our main highway and so we try and put a team together every year to clean that area up,” club president Jefferson Hoober said.
“We know there’s a lot of people who clean up when they can, but we try and make it a yearly thing so that we get to it as well.
“We’ll try to clean all the way to Carisbrook but it depends on the manpower and how many people turn up.”
Mr Hoober said events like Clean Up Australia Day are an important way to educate people about littering.
“I think it’s making people more aware that there’s a lot of rubbish out there and then it makes them think twice before something falls off their trailer or they throw something out the window,” he said.
“It makes people feel like we need to try and keep our town and shire clean, as much as we possibly can. It’s disheartening to see rubbish lying around or flying out of trailers — it’s sad to see that sort of thing.”
From dumped soda cans to food wrappers and packets, Mr Hoober said there’s a lot of rubbish to be collected on the day and encouraged residents to volunteer with the club.
“If we could get more people to jump on board and help the club that would be great,” he said.
“We’re happy if we get a couple and we’re happy if we get more. The more volunteers we have, the quicker we get the job done.
“If we have 10 people, then we can clean up that area in a couple of hours but if we only get two people then we probably won’t get it all done.”
The club will meet outside Sutton Tools in Maryborough at 8 am this Sunday — to find out more about the event or to volunteer with the club, contact the Carisbrook Lions Club on 0427 326 166.