Scouts and community make Lavender Bay shine on Clean Up Australia Day

Words by Cammeray Scout Group Trainee Leader Oliver Roths

On a radiant Sunday morning with the sun shining brightly, 26 dedicated volunteers gathered at Lavender Bay for a Clean Up Australia Day event organised by Cammeray and 1st North Sydney Scout Groups.

The event, which kicked off at 8am, brought together members from Cammeray Scout Group, 1st North Sydney Scout Group, and 1st Balmoral Scout Group, alongside seven enthusiastic members of the public, all united to enhance their local environment.

The volunteers, split into five environmental Patrols, tackled litter from the streets of McMahons Point to the harbour foreshore of Lavender Bay, extending their efforts to the iconic Luna Park. Their hard work paid off, collecting an impressive 116kg of rubbish - or 16 bags!

The Patrols cleaned streets, walkways, and the entire rockwall heading towards Luna Park, with NSW Maritime Environmental Services providing crucial support. The agency deployed emergency response vessel ES7 to ensure Scouts could reach every corner of the foreshore and later transported all collected rubbish to the Maritime Service Centre at Rozelle for sorting and processing.

After a Scout safety briefing at Blues Point Reserve, the Patrols dispersed to their designated areas. Site supervisors frequently resupplied them with new rubbish bags as the Scouts uncovered a flood of litter. The most heavily littered spots were Blues Point Reserve, yielding 2.5 bags of rubbish, and the rockwall towards Luna Park, where six full bags were filled with items including bottles, straws, fishing gear, sandals, vapes, food containers, cans, a plastic chair, and even an abandoned environmental barge.

By 10.30am, all Patrols reunited at Luna Park, now proudly dubbed the cleanest and most iconic amusement park in Australia. The event wrapped up by 11am, and as a reward for their stellar efforts, everyone enjoyed Peter’s Ice-cream Drumsticks and free Luna Park tickets. The Scouts spent hours reveling in the rides, creating memories filled with horror, laughter, and shared fun.

The organisers extend a hearty thank you to Peter’s Ice Cream for spoiling our Patrols with mountains of delicious ice-cream and to Luna Park for providing “all rides passes", ensuring our youth had an unforgettable experience. This successful event underscores the power of community spirit in preserving our cherished environment.