The latest project that we have become involved in is “Protect Cape York”. We are so excited to be involved with such a great cause and we are getting a lot of positive feedback which is amazing. This idea came about by a few people who have visited Cape York recently and saw the amount of rubbish left around by fellow campers and thought that something needed to be done.
Back in 2013 we headed to Cape York as part of our honeymoon adventure and, after seeing this first hand, we decided to jump on board and help out this great cause. Now this issue is certainly not confined to the Cape York area only, we see this quite often in our travels. You all know the old saying, “Take nothing but photos, Leave nothing but footprints”, if all of us abided by that rule, the amount of rubbish would be significantly less. If there isn’t a bin where you are camping, does that give you the right to leave your rubbish on the ground, NO, your responsibility is to take it with you and deposit into the next bin you find. It’s really not that hard, but it’s a concept that so many people seem to forget about once they leave their home.
The amount of rubbish that is left behind on the tracks by fellow campers is disgraceful. We have been sent photos of lizards
with their heads stuck in cans, we’ve all seen photos of turtles and birds with plastic wrapped around them, not to mention the fact that no-one wants to camp next to your dirty used toilet paper and nappies!
While up at the Cape we took a drive along the beaches run and the amount of rubbish lining the beach is unbelievable. Now in reality, a lot of this would have wash up onto the beach from offshore, but that doesn’t mean that it’s ok. At the end of the day, it’s all still rubbish and if we can organize clean up days and educate people on where they can dispose of rubbish and how to do so safely, just maybe we can help in some small way.
Th
e team and us have achieved so much already in such a short amount of time. Word is spreading and the feedback and support we are receiving is amazing. We already have some great sponsors jumping on board, including our major sponsors, TJM Cairns and The Albatross Resort, Weipa. We are also lucky enough to have Keep Australia Beautiful on board to help promote our cause, as well as more and more places coming on board.
We have set up a website which details exactly what we are trying to achieve and how you can help to promote our cause to others http://www.protectcapeyork.com/
So who are we and what are we trying to achieve?
We are just a small group of like-minded people, everyday Australians located all over the country, but with one aim in mind ….. to protect and preserve the beauty of Cape York. We want to clean up the area and educate people in the process. This is the iconic tip of Australia, thousands of people make the epic journey here every year and we want future generations to be able to experience this aswell.
Our Goals
Our immediate goal is to be in a position to hand out 200-300 ‘Cape York packs’ in time for the 2016 tourist season. We are hoping that by handing out these packs, people will be reminded to clean up after themselves (and others as the case may be!). These packs will include a map of rubbish disposal areas and helpful hints, as well as rubbish bags, tongs, gloves etc. We aim to provide campers with the tools to clean up after themselves.
There are so many ways that you can become involved, so please take the time to check out our website and contact us if you would like to become involved or if you have any comments or contacts that may be able to benefit us.
Please help us on our journey to clean up our country and educate people in the process.
……… Remember, It’s Everyone’s Backyard.
