Shelly Cove resides within the Cape Pallarenda Conservation Park featuring the historic Quarantine Station that was established in 1915 during the Second World War.
The area’s landscaped with open woodlands and rocky shorelines making it home to a variety of animal and plant life. The waters of Cape Pallarenda are rich in seagrass attracting green sea turtle populations to these foraging grounds.
Due to the density of life and volume of human activity in the vicinity, the area’s frequently cared for by Queensland Parks and Wildlife, Conservation Volunteers Australia and their Green Army team.
With Tangaroa Blue Foundation on-site we’re able to record the amount of rubbish being removed from Shelly Cove shorelines and compare it to previous years through the collection of data. This year on the 19th of January 35 participants combed 3.8 kilometres of beach with their efforts resulting in 101.5kg of predominately local litter items. Clean-ups at Shelly Cove in previous years removed 82.53kg in 2016, another 35.5kg in 2015 and a close second in 2014 with a total of 90kg cleaned up.
With this data we’re able identify trends that can create change at the source by presenting the material/item of concern with Source Reduction Plans in place. This site suffered predominantly from plastic, glass and metal containers along with personal items and clothing. Relating these results to the hiking, camping and fishing activities that occur within the Park, visitors would be our source to target through means of education.
Tangaroa Blue Foundation would like to thank NQ Dry Tropics and the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program for funding this project through the Devolved Community Landcare Grant. On-ground support was provided by National Parks, Conservation Volunteers Australia and their Green Army team with contributions from the Department of Natural Resources and Mines and Townsville City Council.
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