The Sunshine Coast community turned out in record numbers to support Clean Up Australia Day events across the region.

For more than a decade, EnviroCom has proudly coordinated Clean Up Australia Day events for the Sunshine Coast Council and this year was the biggest one ever. The Sunshine Coast had a 10% increase from last year’s volunteer numbers, with 1630 registered volunteers across more than 100 sites.

Over the years, EnviroCom has assisted Council to utilise Clean Up Australia Day to not only raise awareness of littering and its impacts, but to also instil pride in the community to protect their local environment. Community engagement with the event has grown and broadened both geographically and socially. Sites are now located across the entire region, from the beaches to the hinterland and involve early learning centres, schools, businesses and community groups. Many areas of the community work together and support each other for greater outcomes. Schools have been encouraged to register sites outside their school grounds and to engage with community mentors to help develop the citizen scientists of the future. This investment in the community has developed an increasingly engaged community on the Sunshine Coast and now every day, every walk, every pedal and every paddle is a little Clean Up Sunshine Coast Day.