Litter and our waterways
Every year a huge amount of rubbish enters the creeks, rivers, beaches and bay of South East Queensland. This kills thousands of marine animals that swallow or become entangled in litter.
Litter also causes harm to aquatic plants and makes our waterways look dirty and unattractive.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency's 2007 report on litter, Queensland has the highest amount of litter of all the Australian States and Territories.
The Environmental Protection Agency now has severe fines for littering, especially for throwing rubbish from a boat and dumping waste items in waterways.
Prevention is better than a cure and rubbish that enters our waterways is preventable.
Healthy Waterways Clean Up Program
An initiative of the South East Queensland Healthy Waterways Partnership is the Healthy Waterways Clean Up Program.
Healthy Waterways Clean Up crews remove over 220,000 items of litter from our waterways per year. The crews consist of two people in one of two tinnies (small metal boats). They collect floating litter and, in accessible areas, pick up litter from riverbanks and from within mangroves.
Items collected are general litter (that can be handled safely) such as cans, glass and plastic bottles, plastic bags, polystyrene, cardboard and food wrappings etc.
The objectives of this Program are to:
- Clear waterways of floating rubbish / litter and some riverbank areas of ground litter, providing immediate benefits in terms of enhanced amenity and a cleaner environment.
- Identify hazards (large things like logs and floating drums, not plastic bags) to navigation by boats for removal by the ‘appropriate authority’ (e.g. Maritime Safety Queensland for most navigation hazards, relevant council for dead animals).
- Provide reports on the quantity and type of litter, the times / tides when this occurs and the areas where litter accumulate.
- Participate in community events and education programs aimed at changing community and industry attitudes and behaviour to litter disposal.
The geographical extent of the Healthy Waterways Clean Up Program includes:
Brisbane and Bremer Rivers (weekly)
Approximately 80 kilometres between the mouth of the Brisbane River at Fisherman Island and Colleges Crossing near Ipswich, including all navigable creeks between, and the Bremer River up to and including the Ipswich City reach up stream to the MiHi Creek.
Gold Coast (fortnightly)
Natural waterways (no canal estates) from the Nerang River at R A Stevens Bridge downstream to the Gold Coast Bridge at Southport, the Broadwater at Southport, and all navigable waterways in Tallebudgera and Currumbin Creeks.
Logan (monthly)
Upper reaches of Logan River, from the boat ramp at Henderson Street Park, Logan Reserve to the Geoff Philip Bridge, Logan Village.
Particular attention is given to known litter ‘hot spots’:
- Sections of the Brisbane River between the University of Queensland at St Lucia and the Regatta Ferry terminal at Toowong
- From the Walter Taylor Bridge at Indooroopilly to the University of Queensland at St Lucia
- Stretches of the Brisbane River before and after the Story Bridge
- Breakfast and Norman Creeks
- Mangrove and riverbank areas at Pinkenba, Bulimba, Brisbane City (Story Bridge and Garden Point), Milton, St Lucia and Dutton Park
Reporting litter: If you wish to report waterway litter in the areas above please phone the SEQ Healthy Waterways Partnership Office on (07) 3123 1682. In other regions please call your local council.