Photos by EdithMay Gowing

Citizens of Orange, Scout groups and Orange High School leaders turned out in great numbers again this year to participate in Orange’s Clean up Australia Day event at five different locations.

Working at the main site of Elephant Park, OHS year 12 student, Bella Sattler remarked that “more people should participate at these events in the future, to see first-hand just how much litter is ending up in our waterways,” particularly considering that Blackmans Swamp (the creek that runs behind the Aquatic centre) is part of Orange’s stormwater harvesting system.

She says she was “disappointed to see so much litter had ended up in our waterways and in our parks.

Kate Willoughby, Orange HS teacher supervisor on the day and Tidy Towns committee member helping to organise the event said she was “extremely proud of the OHS students spending their Sunday traipsing through and along the creek lines, enthusiastically retrieving litter and conversing about the environment.”

Among the unusual objects found on the day were bicycles, shopping trolleys, a pair of underwear, a tyre, a sign, a pair of work pants, shoes and a router!

This year 65 people volunteered at 5 locations around Orange being Elephant Park, Clifton Grove, Hill Park, Lake Canobolas and Rotary Park.

Roger Smith, Tidy Towns committee organiser and Natural Resources Coordinator at Orange City Council says he “hopes to see many more people turn up next year.”