Queensland’s Cleanest Beach

7 May 2015 11:41 AMMichael Hart

 

Burleigh Beach on the Gold Coast has been named Queensland’s Cleanest Beach for 2015 by Keep Queensland Beautiful.

The two-and-a-half kilometre stretch of pristine white sand beat a number of other beautiful coastal stretches to the award with its innovative cleanup efforts and community partnership initiatives.
 

“The Gold Coast is already famous for its beautiful beaches but we were impressed at how so many members of the Burleigh community came together to look after this precious resource,” said Keep Queensland Beautiful CEO, David Curtin. 
 

“Local schools, surf lifesavers, the Gold Coast City Council, a recreational running club, youth clubs and the Jellurgal Aboriginal Cultural Centre have all come on board and this award recognises their efforts.” 
 

Some of the initiatives include:

• Daily maintenance and beach sweeps
• Beach care litter clean ups and audits
• A butterfly corridor project
• Water conservation strategies
• Solar-powered beach patrol tower
• A heritage trail
• Dune plant propagation program
• Outstanding school education through the Griffith Centre for Coastal Management.

 

“Some of the youngest members of the Burleigh community have been involved in achieving this award including the C&K Kindergarten and Burleigh Scouts,” said Mr Curtin. 
 

“If pre-school children are able to adopt the Keep Queensland Beautiful message, then surely the rest of us can do more to prevent litter, increase recycling and generally work to make Queensland number one in Australia.”

Member for Burleigh Michael Hart MP said he was thrilled to have Queensland’s cleanest beach added to Burleigh’s long list of achievements.
 

“Burleigh is home to world famous surf breaks, award winning restaurants and cafes, and now we can call Queensland’s cleanest beach our own,” he said.
 

“Burleigh has always been known as a great place to live, work and raise a family and now it is even greater,” Mr Hart said.
 

Councillor Greg Betts, who represents Division 12 on the Gold Coast City Council, was very pleased to hear the news.
 

“This award just backs up what the local residents and visitors to beautiful Burleigh Beach already knew – that this is one of the jewels in the Gold Coast crown.  Everyone loves the place so much, and they always take care not to destroy what they came to enjoy” said Councillor Betts.
 

The Gold Coast City Council takes a strong attitude to caring for the city’s beaches, and Burleigh beach is one of the most highly used public spaces in the city.  
 

Councillor Betts went on to say; “I congratulate the community on their efforts and I also take my hat off to the work of the Council staff who make sure our beach is clean, tidy and safe to use every day of the year”.
 

The Clean Beaches Awards program has been running since 1999.  Beaches are considered against key criteria: Community Action and Partnerships, Litter Prevention, Heritage and Culture, Resource Recovery and Waste Management, Water and Energy Conservation, and Environmental Protection and Innovation.
 

The Keep Queensland Beautiful Clean Beach Accreditation program is an opportunity for any beach in the state to earn a 1-5 star rating and enter Queensland’s Cleanest Beach awards. 
 

Coastal communities, councils, surf lifesaving associations, schools and other interested groups can become involved in the program. 
 

Burleigh Beach achieved a 4-star rating and will be considered for the national Clean Beach Awards Competition which will be announced in Sydney on July 21, 2015.
 

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Media Enquiries

To arrange an interview or for any further information please contact:
David Curtin – Keep Queensland Beautiful on 07 3252 2886 or 0435 062 737
Tegan Croft – Griffith Centre for Coastal Management on 07 5552 8829 or 0414 762 374