A BABY’S wading pool, a gate and a fishing rod were just some of the rubbish collected during a clean-up at the Hopkins River yesterday.
Fish Care Victoria president Justin Harzmeyer said the clean-up was from the Hopkins River mouth through to Jubilee Park in Allansford. “We filled a skip with rubbish,” he said.
“Every year there are tyres, lots of plastic, cans, fast-food wrappers.
“There was old and new rubbish, so some rubbish that had been there for quite a while.
“I work in an area that sees a lot of rubbish dumped, but for some it would have been an eye-opener.”
A boat was used along the river banks to collect the rubbish. Mr Harzmeyer said 16 volunteers were part of the clean-up, including members of the Warrnambool, Koroit and Allansford anglers clubs and Deakin University students.
The clean-up was part of a grant from the Department of Sustainability and Environment to clean up areas in East Gippsland and at Patterson Lakes.
Weeds such as boxthorn were also targeted and there are plans to establish signage later this year.
cquirk@standard.fairfax.com.au
