Love Our Clontarf Campaign Report

The Love Our Clontarf 100 Day Litter Campaign, undertaken on the traditional lands of the Ningy Ningy people, was a litter baseline study and litter reduction campaign held across 100 Days at the beginning of 2021.

The campaign focused on a targeted litter hot spot in a 2 kilometre radius of the McDonalds Clontarf, Redcliffe Peninsula.

At the campaign launch in January, acknowledgement of the Ningy Ningy Peoples – the traditional custodians of the land on which we gathered – was made by campaign Founder Les Barkla. Paying respects to our Elders past, present and emerging, Les also stated that this campaign was all about respect for this land and these local waters, as the ancestors cared for them for 20,000 years.

The Redcliffe Peninsula won numerous Tidy Towns Awards in the early 2000s. Today that level of respect has been lost, as has the connection with land and waters. This has been backed by statistics showing 8 billion cigarette butts are littered every year and 8 million litter items are tossed every day in Australia (Keep Australia, 2019).

Providing raw data to show stakeholders that littler is a serious terrestrial and marine environment issue for this littler hot spot and for the Redcliffe Peninsula. Redcliffe is surrounded by 80% waterways with sensitive marine ecosystems and official Marine National Parks.

 

Key Data:

• 15, 706 litter items were collected from 12 audit sites over 3 months (100 days)
• 10,952 items were collected at the main audit site, a 1.6 kilometre stretch of Snook Street, Clontarf over 12 weekly audits
• 4,594 of those items were cigarette butts
• Approximately weight of litter collected: 2.83 tonnes

Litter was reduced by 45% at the Snook Street audit site over the 12 weeks of audits using various litter awareness and education strategies including social media campaigns, digital sign board located at the audit site, campaign signage around the area, local media coverage with sharing of online content by key stakeholders.

If adequate litter enforcement strategies and resources were available, these 10,952 litter items would have potentially brought in $2.8M in fine revenue based on the now current minimum Litter Fine of $275 (risen in price at 1 July 2021).

The Report:

The Love our Clontarf 100 Day Litter Campaign Final Report (click to download) includes:

• 13 key recommendations as a call out for action to be taken by Local, State and Federal Governments.
• Suggested in place for after the campaign
• Overview about the campaign planning, background and implementation process
• Cigarette butt analysis for Redcliffe
• Scientific evidence and studies including research into littering culture
• Legislative/power-based inconsistencies

 

How Can You Help?

• When you’re headed out for a walk, take a plastic bag and gloves to pick up rubbish you spot and dispose of
• Learn about recycling options available in your suburb. Do you have a cash for cans collection point? Do you have a red-cycle bin at your local shopping centre? How does the bulky item collection  work in your area – or where is your drop off point?
• Report Littering to your Local Council
• Talk about the effects of litter with children or grandchildren. Learning about how our marine life are affected is an important part of the conversation that children connect to.

Actions since report completion:

Delivery and discussion with Moreton Bay Regional Councillor Karl Winchester (Division 6 Councillor for Clontarf), meeting attended by fellow area Councillor Sandra Ruck,

Delivery and discussion with State Member for Redcliffe, Yvette D’Ath MP,

Delivery and discussion with Federal Member for Petrie, Luke Howarth MP.

Actions taken by stakeholders since report completion:

Stencilled footpath messaging for concrete walkways around the Redcliffe Peninsula designed and delivered by the Moreton Bay Regional Council Environment Team. Installation commenced December 2021 with further roll out due in the in the first quarter of 2022.

 

Media & Acknowledgements:

“Community-Driven Campaign Calls for Action on Litter” by by Jessica Wilson – RACQ Road Ahead Magazine, Feb/March Issue 2022

2021 Community Spirit Awards Finalists by ABC Radio Brisbane Community Spirit Awards – 8 November 2021

“Keeping Clontarf clean, one item at a time” by ABC Brisbane Breakfast Broadcast – 26 October 2021

“Report calls for action on litter” by Kylie Knight – 8 September 2021

“Labour of Love” by Kylie Knight – Dolphins News, 15 May 2021, page 19

“Fight to stop littering goes on” by Kylie Knight – Dolphins News, 5 May 2021, page 2

“Students join war on waste” by Jodie Powell – 14 April 2021

“100 Day campaign to reduce litter begins” by Kylie Knight – 29 January 2021

Find out more about Pristine Peninsula:

Join the Pristine Peninsula Facebook Group

Follow the Pristine Peninsula Redcliffe Facebook page

See how Social Ocean supported the Love Our Clontarf Campaign