Kids Clean Up

Elite athletes, environmental advocates and Hedland students joined forces earlier this month to mark the nationwide Clean Up Australia Day schools event.

Held around Australia on March 5, the event encourages students across primary and secondary schools to get involved in local clean ups to raise awareness of caring for the enviornment and waste management.

International Australian Hockey stars Kalindi Commerford and Aran Zalewski made the journey to the Port Hedland this year to get their hands dirty.

Up to 1,800 students and staff across the mining town participated in this years clean up, including students from Yandeyarra Remote Community School and Strelley Community School at Warralong.

The event has grown from just two schools in 2019 to all primary school in the region by 2020.

Care for Hedland waste coordinator Jillian Fisher said it was great to have all schools, including Hedland Senior High School and Clontarf Academy, join in.

“Picking up rubbish and keeping the scene clean is everyone’s role in society regardless of whose rubbish it is,” she said.

The event marked Care for Hedland’s ongoing participation in the Clean Up Australia campaign across February and March.

In a recent clean up 66 volunteers collected 310kg of rubbish at popular sites in Hedland.

Over the course of the campaign locals collected up to 581kg.