A special Flood Recovery Clean Up Day was held recently to help restore our local parks and natural environment by removing flood debris deposited by the major flood in March.
As part of the Clean Up Day, 60 local volunteers gathered across four locations: Argyle Bailey Memorial Park, Ebenezer; Cattai Creek, Glenorie; Colbee Park, McGraths Hill; and Deerubbin Park, Cornwallis.
The Federal Member for Macquarie Susan Templeman, Ms Pip Kiernan, Chairman of Clean Up Australia, the Mayor of Hawkesbury, Councillor Patrick Conolly, Deputy Mayor Councillor Mary Lyons-Buckett, Councillor Danielle Wheeler and Council staff joined in to help and also supervise activities at the sites.
Hawkesbury City Council partnered with Clean Up Australia for three of the sites and at Cattai Creek, OzFish partnered with Council and Clean Up Australia to coordinate the clean-up there including with use of kayaks and motorised craft. A number of volunteer groups also came on board for the Cattai Creek Clean Up including Galston-Glenorie Fishing Club, Hawkesbury-Nepean Landcare, Glenorie Progress Association and the Cattai Hills Environment Network.
They collected several tonnes of waste, including recyclables, along with large items such as polystyrene foam boxes, mesh, hoses, pallets, containers, doors and tyres. A hazardous chemical in a large sealed drum on the riverbank was also identified at one park and reported to the Environment Protection Authority, which was then safely removed.
"Thank you to everyone who came along and helped to clean up at this Flood Recovery event. Our appreciation also goes to Clean Up Australia and OzFish for their active support and involvement. It was another great chance to get together for a good cause," Mayor Conolly said.
