Public response to Far North beach clean-up day 'amazing'

Some of those who picked up rubbish from 90 Mile Beach on Saturday, and some of the rubbish they removed

Mayor John Carter had a big day on Saturday. It started with Awanui Day, continued with the Far North Garden Safari at Doubtless Bay then wound up at Ahipara, where scores of people had removed a huge amount of rubbish from 90 Mile Beach.

And everywhere he went, he said, he had been impressed by the commitment of people to their community.

Shane Clarkson, who along with wife Shannon, Tui Nichol and Naomi Austen-Reid, organised the beach clean-up, said he was extremely gratified by the public response and the outcome.

This is a great example of our community getting together and doing something good. So much is happening today, but still you all found the time to come and be part of this.

Far North Mayor John Carter

A king tide and gloomy weather hadn't helped, but his efforts had been handsomely rewarded.

Rubbish including bottles and cans, rope and scraps of fishing nets, tyres, car parts, significant quantities of plastic material placed under rocks that had been used along the Ahipara foreshore to prevent erosion, and even an entire aluminium shed had been removed.

Those who gave their time to improve the local coastal environments included Alex Going and Manue Martinez, from Maromaku and Paihia (via the South of France) respectively, who had travelled north specifically to help.

"This is just amazing," Mr Carter said when everyone had gathered at Ahipara at the end of the day.

"This is a great example of our community getting together and doing something good.
"So much is happening today, but still you all found the time to come and be part of this."

Without Shane, and the support of his family and friends, it would not have happened, he added, and while Shane had said that this would be his first and last clean-up effort, he doubted that that would be the case.