Students from Kincumber High School and Green Point Christian College have removed 1.64 tonne of rubbish from Kincumber Creek and the Broadwater through the Clean4shore program during three recent field trips.
Clean4Shore spokesperson Graham ‘Jono’ Johnston said the students had put in a mammoth effort.
“Even an office safe was pulled from Kincumber Creek,” he said.
Johnston said the clean-ups had also unearthed a lot of material illegally dumped and oyster baskets dislodged during recent storms.
Students from Kincumber High School joined two clean-up events – on October 16 and November 1.
On October 16, Year 8 students attacked Kincumber Broadwater, with litter collected from around Davistown wharf and the mangroves at South Kincumber .
“The mangroves adjacent the church had larger volumes of small litter collected with a full bag removed from the island at the end of the South Kincumber Channel,” Johnston said.
“Davistown RSL mangroves had the usual bulk balls and toys all thrown over the fence from the public outdoor area at the RSL club.
“The Broadwater mangroves only had scattered litter with several more oyster baskets removed.
“A derelict vessel was found in the Broadwater mangroves, moved out into deeper water and towed back to Kincumber jetty.
“This was loaded on top of the collected rubbish.”
On November 1 students joined in a clean-up of Kincumber Creek, with a support unit student also attending as a team-building exercise.
“Low tide restricted access to the main Broadwater with Kincumber Creek ideal in this tide,” Johnston said.
“An office safe and two car tyres were spotted in the water with the students straight over the side to lift them into the barge.
“At the end of the creek illegal dumping has occurred with industrial product found and loaded on board.
“Across the creek adjacent Frost Reserve a large pile of beer cans was found dumped.”
Johnston said students walked both sides of the creek and filled 10 bags with soft and hard plastics and rubber balls.
“At the mouth of the creek adjacent the oyster lease (we found) oyster plastic pieces and baskets,” he said.
“Also recovered were four more car tyres, marine ply and timber products.”
On November 2, it was students from Green Point Christian College who pitched in to clean up the foreshores of Kincumber Broadwater and Empire Bay Channel.
“A keen group of Year 12 students used this field trip for environment assessment,” Johnston said.
“Ben Cuerel from Central Coast Council attended the field trip providing valuable information on this local eco system.
“The mangroves behind the old Bouddi Pony Club have received extensive bush regeneration with much more work still remaining.
“Two hundred metres of oyster pipe lays in the mangroves with Clean4shore to seek advice from local oyster growers on possible removal.
“The small Island at the end of Empire Bay Channel has previously had extensive littering from poor camping practices.
“Ben Cuerel placed three of our disposal bags for future use by campers.”
Johnston said Empire Bay mangroves behind the Progress Hall appeared to be clean from the water, but larger items including drums, buckets, oyster baskets, derelict boating material, marine ply, bedding, treated pine and industrial plastic were found, along with plastic bottles, cans and rubber.
“Member for Terrigal Adam Crouch was at the Kincumber jetty on our return following the field trip,” Johnston said.
“Adam praised the students on their efforts and spoke of measures to control the entry of litter into the waterways.”