The Yarra Plastic Paddle is happening next weekend to raise awareness of the plastic pollution choking Melbourne’s main waterway.

 

On December 4th, the crew from Yarra Riverkeepers will be paddling down Melbourne’s iconic Yarra River on kayaks they’ve fashioned from plastic bottles found in and around the river itself.

 

Photo thanks to Karin Traeger

 

Plastic bottles and lids are the most common rubbish items found in the Yarra River and its surrounding parks. Throughout 2019 and 2020, the Yarra Riverkeepers collected over 2600 plastic bottles and 2700 plastic lids from the river and its banks during their Yarra River Blitz events. Yikes!

How You Can Get Involved

On the day, there’ll be clean ups happening across the city where people can join in and do their part to help clean up the Yarra and its surrounds.

You can either join an already existing clean up, or register one of your very own! Clean Up Australia is kindly providing the clean up materials needed to each group.

Yarra Riverkeepers also want people to share their love of the Yarra River by sending a virtual ‘message in a bottle’ to the River itself, expressing your deep-seated love and why you want to protect it.

So keep your eyes peeled for a bunch of bonafide Yarra lovers on their plastic-bottle boats next weekend, and help clean up Melbourne’s beloved waterway while you’re at it!

 

Photos thanks to Visit VIC