Community clean-up – Ward’s Hill to Wagstaffe

Wagstaffe to Killcare Community Association members rolled up their sleeves and got their hands dirty for Clean-up Australia Day, collecting two tonnes of rubbish on March 6.

Coordinator Mike Chitty said they a great team on the day and a team from the community church led by Reverend Stephen Hinks.

“The day dawned fine and bright, good weather for cleaning up Australia,” Chitty said.

“We had a number of regular collectors on duty—Dave and Helen Reid and Chris Bird.

“This team was ably assisted at the service centre admin desk by Helen Clauser, Ann Chitty and Helen Morgan; these good ladies kept the tea and coffee flowing for the collectors.

“We collected enough rubbish to fill two small trucks, approximately two tonnes in all.

“We collected seven tyres, corrugated iron sheeting, approximately twelve bags of bottles and cans, roadside rubbish, ceramic garden pots, scrap iron and general timber rubbish.”

The team’s main collection areas were Wards Hill Rd, Scenic Rd between the Maitland Bay Information Centre and MacMasters Beach, and Araluen Dr between the fire station and the boat ramp at Pretty Beach Public School.

Chitty said the collection team’s main concern was the lack of numbers of people participating and collecting rubbish on the day.

“We would desperately seek local residents to join our team of collectors since our team members are growing older,” Chitty said.

“We collect from 9:00am, and generally, we are ready to go home at noon; all of us are now in the over seventies bracket.

“Dave Reid has a trailer, and without this facility, we would not have been able to collect the amount of rubbish that we did; more trailers would be most welcome.”

Vice President Robyn Warburton said Clean Up Australia Day used to be a much bigger event on the Peninsula and hoped they’d get a better turn out next year.

“Much appreciation needs to go to Mike Chitty, who took on the coordinator’s job quite a few years ago and Dave Reid, whose muscles and work ethic have resulted in the successful outcome this year,” Warburton said.

Source:
Newsletter, Mar 26
Wagstaffe to Killcare Community Association