Community-minded locals are calling on Council to help them clean up the massive amount of debris washed up on some local beaches by the recent weather events.

Members of the Kiama Surf Lifesaving Club (KSLC) used peoplepower plus a bobcat to start the clean-up last weekend. The pile collected is still waiting to be disposed of, and has to be seen to be believed.

The Club arranged this work without Kiama Council’s resources or input, after members had first approached Council to inquire about a clean-up strategy.

Darryl Smith, patrol captain at the surf club, was told by Council that they had money but no resources to do the work.

A statement from Council says that: “Council’s CEO had given permission for Kiama SLSC to partner with Council to undertake this work to remove the public safety risks presented by the beach debris prior to the inaugural Kiama Beach Tag tournament due to go ahead on 26 March.”

It is a long standing policy that Council doesn't take responsibility for cleaning up the beaches and Darryl doesn’t blame Council as he says what has happened recently is a rare event.

But he also notes that, “We have that many local contractors that are certified with Council. Council said they have money for storm damage clearance, but don’t seem to be using it.”

Craig Rogers in the borrowed bobcat

He rallied Patrol 5 at the Club to clear the beach, borrowed a bobcat from Coastwide Civil Surf Beach and personally paid $800 for fuel to run it over two days, as well as utilising his expertise from running City Coast Services.

He says he could do the same for Seven Mile Beach Gerroa where the northern end – Little Beach – is covered in large pieces of timber. But he would need to cover his costs to do this.

Little Beach, Gerroa

Councillor Matt Brown, a member of KSLSC and former head lifeguard, says there does need to be an authority to co-ordinate the good work and goodwill of our local volunteers.

“The safety issue is first and foremost, then there is the issue of pride for our beaches.

“But someone in Council should be managing this,” he says.

“It’s fantastic that locals want to take matters into their hands but we just need a co-ordinating authority to manage this.”

Some locals have also taken it into their own hands to remove seaweed and other debris from around Black Beach after a man slipped on a pile and badly hurt his head. 

“I would hate to see that we only move because of accidents,” says Cr Brown.

“We need a proper plan to have beaches raked and have dangerous stuff removed after storms. And a lot of that can be done with the help of residents and volunteers.”

Council says that, at this stage, they have no plans to clean up storm debris at Seven Mile Beach, as they are prioritizing roads and infrastructure repairs.

“We urge the public to continue to be careful when using our beaches, waterways and rockpools, particularly after heavy rain and storms where there may be extra debris and pollution in the water,” a Council statement says.

Slippery seaweed at the Harbour was gathered up by locals

The Head of the Gerroa Community Association (GCA) Roy Schmidt says while the GCA fully appreciates Kiama Council’s urgent priorities, “Little Beach is currently an absolute mess with driftwood and other rubbish, constituting both a safety and health risk.”

Much of this has come from the Shoalhaven River estuary and is fire burnt.

“I have already witnessed an amazing number of residents picking up bits of plastic, styrene, thongs and other various bits of rubbish. No doubt this will continue. In fact, such actions form part of the normal routine for many of our local walkers.

“Year after year, Little Beach, combined with Seven Mile Beach, accommodates over 60 per cent of all beach users in our municipality. As well as being popular with families, Little Beach is also used by community groups, such as Gerringong Nippers.

“Unfortunately Gerroa does not have a surf club, or other formal beach user group to utilise for a beach clean-up, so the GCA is organising a community clean-up at Little Beach on Saturday 2 April, from 10am to around 2pm.

“Volunteers should just meet at the beach, ensuring they bring some sturdy shoes or boots, plus gloves.”

Anyone requiring additional info can contact the GCA President, Roy, on 0418 449 678.