Govind Tekale
More than 800,000 volunteers armed with gloves and rubbish bags took to Australia’s beaches, parks, streets and waterways on Sunday, March 2, as Clean Up Australia Day marked its 35th anniversary with record participation.
Volunteers gathered at approximately 8,000 sites nationwide for the country’s largest community-based environmental event, working together to remove tonnes of rubbish that might otherwise end up in waterways and harm wildlife.
“What an incredible turnout today on what is Clean Up Australia Day’s 35th anniversary,” said Pip Kiernan, Chair of Clean Up Australia and daughter of the late founder Ian Kiernan. “I know my dad would be cheek-in-pink to know that Australians still continue to get behind it in droves.”
Mr. Kiernan, a builder and yachtsman, established the initiative in 1989 after witnessing the extent of ocean pollution first-hand. What began as Clean Up Sydney Harbour with 40,000 participants has grown into a national movement that has involved more than 22 million Australians over the past three decades.
Environmental Impact
The environmental stakes remain high. According to Kiernan, approximately 130,000 tonnes of plastic waste escapes into the marine environment annually, posing significant threats to wildlife and ecosystems.
“Most of what our volunteers collect is found around waterways which is an important reminder that’s damaging to our marine and wild life,” Kiernan noted. “Every single bit that our volunteers pick up makes a difference.”
The Clean Up Australia FY24 Litter Report revealed plastics continue to dominate the Australian litter landscape.
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Olympic diver Sam Fricker, who participated in Sydney’s main event near the Prime Minister’s residence in Kirribilli alongside Olympic sailor Lisa Darmanin, commented on the variety of items collected: “You get some really rogue stuff! You see some bras or we have a bucket… but things like plastic straws, plastic bottles, plastic bags are some of the most common stuff and microplastics.”
The nature of collected waste reflects changing consumer habits, with e-waste items such as vapes now among the top 10 items found during clean-ups.
Growth and Evolution
Under Pip Kiernan’s leadership over the past six years, participation has steadily increased. In 2024, a record 4,405 schools took part, with about one million volunteers contributing throughout the year.
“It belongs to community, they choose where they pick up… from the very northern tip in Thursday Island down to Abel’s Bay in Tasmania, from Broome to Burke… it’s just a joy,” Kiernan said.
The organization has evolved beyond the annual clean-up day to run year-round programs focused on education, advocacy, and waste reduction strategies. Today, the organization’s focus is as much on preventing litter from entering the environment as it is on removing what has already accumulated.
Clean Up Australia Day began as a national event in 1990 with support from then-Prime Minister Bob Hawke. One of the first items collected was an entire Volkswagen car, pulled from Sydney Harbour by volunteers.
With the strong response to this year’s event, Clean Up Australia is set to exceed overall volunteer numbers for the year, likely to surpass one million participants across all their.
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