Kembla hopes to clean up

BRENDAN CRABB

DAVID Moy said the competition for the title of Australia’s cleanest beach was extremely tough, but his first impressions were that Port Kembla Beach was right up there.

“It’s very pleasant,” Dr Moy said. “There’s very little litter… it all looks good.”

Dr Moy visited Port Kembla Beach last Thursday as part of his role as the Australian Clean Beaches Awards judge.

The competition is a Keep Australia Beautiful initiative and Port Kembla is competing against the other five state and territory finalists (Western Australia were not a part of this year’s competition) to become the Australian Clean Beaches Winner in 2010.

Port Kembla is competing against Yeppoon Main Beach (Queensland), South Port Noarlunga (South Australia), West Beach (Burnie, Tasmania), Shady Beach (Yirrkala, Northern Territory) and Balnarring Beach (Mornington Peninsula, Victoria).

During his visit, Dr Moy evaluated projects undertaken by Wollongong City Council and other groups helping to protect the coastal environment.

He also viewed facilities and signage including at the salt-water Olympic swimming pool, which uses water from the ocean for cleaning rather than fresh water, dune systems and more.

Other criteria included environmental protection and innovation, energy and water conservation and waste management.

“During my visits to our Clean Beaches finalists, I have observed many examples of local communities, councils and businesses working together to overcome environmental issues and it is their examples, combined with the report, which should be inspiration to other beach communities under threat,” Dr Moy said.

“Port Kembla is somewhat looked upon as the ‘dirty’ suburb due to things such as the steelworks, (but) the beach and water quality shows it’s a very beautiful place,” council’s coordinator of environmental programs Mike McKeon said.

The national winner will be announced at a presentation being held at North Steyne (which took out the top prize in 2009) on March 25.