General News
9 April, 2026
Please keep beaches clean
THE upkeep of Far North Queensland beaches is a prime concern for locals in the Douglas Shire, partly to improve the visitor experience for both residents and visitors and for the general protection of these natural beauty spots and the wildlife that exists around them.
I headed to Four Mile Beach last week to discover what kind of items are possibly being left behind by disrespectful users of our beautiful coastline. To be honest, I didn’t really know what to expect.
When out on a normal beach walk, it is easy to bypass what is lying around, but on closer inspection it is certainly quite disappointing to see the way some humans treat our paradise. To be fair, many parts of the area that I searched were clean.
Apart from general rubbish, Douglas Shire Council has recently undertaken a clean-up across Cooya, Wonga and Newell beaches to improve safety and preserve the natural beauty of the coastline.
The operation follows repeated community concerns about deteriorating tables and chairs left on the sand, which have become both a safety risk and a visual blight.
Douglas Shire Mayor Lisa Scomazzon said the clean-up aimed to strike the right balance between community enjoyment and responsible beach management.
“Most locals and visitors do the right thing, but when furniture is left to rot and break apart, it spoils the appearance of our beautiful beaches,” she said.
“Wood, metal and plastic fragments can also become dangerous once they’re swept up in the tides or buried in the sand.
“While council does not encourage permanent furniture on the coastline, the Mayor said the clean-up would be conducted with common sense and consideration.
“We understand the long-held tradition of enjoying a sunset drink and nibbles by the water. This clean-up isn’t about stopping those moments, it’s about keeping our beaches safe, clean and enjoyable for everyone.”
Last year, the ‘Goss reported on the great work being carried out by Tangaroa Blue, a leading not-for-profit organisation dedicated to the removal and prevention of marine debris on Australia’s beaches and waterways.
Port Douglas area project co-ordinator Hannah Kennedy said, at the time, that on a typical day at Four Mile Beach, they collected between 20 to 40kg of trash.
“To date, the Tangaroa Blue Foundation and all of our dedicated volunteers have removed over 20 million items, which is over 1600 tonnes of trash from Australia’s waterways”, Ms Kennedy said. “Not only are we removing rubbish and trying to figure out how to stop it, but we are also providing a space for people to see firsthand the negative effects of marine debris on the environment.
“This can alter one’s perspective and help connect the choices we make in our daily life to the effects those choices might have on the environment.”
In February 2024, Tangaroa Blue, along with their ReefClean partners, secured a Great Barrier Reef Marine Debris Management and Mitigation Grant which will allow them to extend their much-valued work until 2027.
Tangaroa Blue led the ReefClean program from 2018-2023 removing more than 127 tonnes of marine debris from between the Torres Strait and Bundaberg, with tens of thousands of participants joining in with the activities.
“We are thrilled to be able to continue to build on this work, with our team of ReefClean partners, to reduce the risk of marine debris to the Great Barrier Reef” said Heidi Tait CEO of Tangaroa Blue Foundation.
The ReefClean activities kicked off towards the end of February 2024 and are providing volunteers with opportunities to participate in remote clean-up events, regular monitoring activities, source reduction projects and education and awareness activities, there is something for everyone.
If you are keen to get involved, visit www.reefclean.org or check out the ReefClean pages on Instagram and Facebook.
I’m off for a nice barefoot walk on the beach, so for now it’s Gazza signing out.
Send your stories to gazza@cairnslocalnews.com.au
