Nearly 700 students, parents and teachers from 10 schools across the Sunshine Coast have hit the sand and put in a “turtley awesome” conservation effort.
Sunshine Coast Council is grateful for all participants over the six weeks of the 2021 Schools Beach Clean Up that aimed to clean up rubbish in time for turtle nesting season.
The main species nesting on our beaches are thelLoggerhead turtle and, less frequently, the Green turtle.
The turtles generally come ashore from mid-November to late January, noticeable by the tracks they leave behind on the golden sands, where they can lay about 130 eggs.
The beach clean-up event was a huge success with almost 100kg of rubbish removed from 14 beaches across the region.
Schools involved in the initiative were St John’s College at Nambour, Coolum State School, Meridan State College and Pacific Lutheran College at Meridan Plains, Unity College at Caloundra West, Chancellor State College at Sippy Downs, Coolum Beach Christian College, Caloundra State High School, North Arm State School and Baringa State School.
Some students also attended a council briefing and visited the Coastal Discovery Van to learn about all of the processes that work on our coastal zones to change the landscapes and their impacts on the coastline.
Sunshine Coast Environment and Liveability Portfolio Councillor Maria Suarez thanked the schools and students for their continued support of the annual event.
“With the first turtles laying on our local beaches over the summer, you and your students have contributed to their ongoing survival and helped to protect and preserve our local environment,” Cr Suarez said.
“We sincerely appreciate your time, effort, enthusiasm and ongoing passion for the environment.”
For more information on how to get involved, visit the council website.
