DARWIN HARBOUR CLEAN-UP

Over two and a half tonnes of rubbish was collected from Darwin Harbour’s coastlines and waters in Darwin’s first ever marine debris clean-up day, organised by the Northern Territory Seafood Council and OceanWatch Australia's SeaNet Program.

On Tuesday 13 July 2010, 93 people were picking up rubbish on land and from the water, 50 around Darwin and 43 over on Cox Peninsula.

Some of the heaviest items collected included 500 kilograms of truck tyres pulled from the water around Fishermen’s Wharf, and 300 kilograms of bundled floats and ropes taken by the police boat over at East Arm. Seventeen shopping trolleys were taken from the water at the wharf and along the coast at Coconut Grove.

Commonly found along the coastline and in waterways were plastic drink bottles (1,800) and aluminium cans (7,600) of which the majority (5,880) were collected from the mangroves behind the Mandorah Hotel alone!

Volunteers and workers from over 20 government, non-government and private stakeholders covered eight different sites on land. Eight boats set out from Fishermen’s Wharf and covered the waters between there and East Arm.

The Darwin Harbour Clean-up 2010 has been made possible with funding from the Natural Resource Management Board NT’s Coastcare Program, through the Australian Government’s Caring for our Country.

Photo Galleries

Check out the photo galleries from the day:

Gallery 1: Fishermen's Wharf/Darwin area

(Photos by Lyn Lambeth, SeaNet, Katherine Sarneckis, NTSC and Grace Heathcote, GhostNets Australia).

Gallery 2: Wagait Beach/Cox Peninsula

(Photos by Hannah Seward, Australian Marine Conservation Society).

Gallery 3: Wagait Beach/Cox Peninsula 

(Photos by Shenagh Gamble, Local Government Association NT).

Gallery 4: Rapid Creek to Coconut Grove (Photos by Nichole Jung and Pam Robinson, DCC, Liz Conway NRM Board NT and Dr Bill Day, Coconut Grove)

Further information:

For further information contact SeaNet Officer, Lyn Lambeth on 8981 5194.
 

Media Releases:  

14th July 2010 Darwin Harbour Clean Up (305 KB)

13th July 2010 Darwin Harbour Clean Up (235 KB)
6th July 2010 Darwin Harbour Clean Up (356 KB)

Supporters and Participants:

Amateur Fishermen’s Association NT
Australia Bay Seafoods
Australian Offshore Solutions

Australian Marine Conservation Society
Belyuen Community Government Council
Carpentaria Ghost Net Programme
Coastcare
Commercial Fishing Industry
Conservation Volunteers Australia
Darwin City Council
Darwin Harbour Advisory Committee
Darwin Port Corporation
Department of Resources - Fisheries
INPEX
Larrakia Development Corporation
Larrakia Nation Aboriginal Corporation
Natural Resource Management Board NT
Northern Territory Seafood Council
NT Government (NRETAS)
NT Police Marine and Fisheries Enforcement Unit
OceanWatch Australia
Sea Darwin Eco Tours
The Market Door, Wagait Beach
Two Fella Creek Conservation Group
Wagait Beach Supermarket
Wagait Shire Council
Western Australia Seafood Exporters