Rainforest to Reef Waterways Beach Clean Up
With the Skyrail Sustainables
The weather didn’t dampen our spirits, rain and sunshine, The Skyrail Sustainables were out in force. For our Rainforest to Reef, waterways beach clean up protecting the health of our surrounding ecosystems!
We are proud to have hosted our third annual The Skyrail Sustainables Rainforest to Reef – waterways and beach clean up in collaboration with Tangaroa Blue Foundation. As part of our ongoing commitment to environmental stewardship, The Skyrail Sustainables are a dedicated group of team members passionate about promoting sustainability within our company and the community.
Working with Tangaroa Blue
Inspired by our previous successful clean-up efforts and the impactful work of Tangaroa Blue Foundation, this year’s initiative was focused on preserving and protecting our precious waterways and beachfront following recent flooding events across the Cairns region after Cyclone Jasper. Each year we check the health of the surrounding waterways from Skyrail’s Smithfield Terminal linking the rainforest directly to the reef, which underscores our commitment to safeguarding the interconnected ecosystems of our region.
Tangaroa Blue Foundation is a leading organisation in marine debris research, education, and prevention, and we are proud to support their mission of empowering communities to take action against marine pollution
The Rainforest to Reef Clean-up occurs in the same key connecting areas adjacent to Skyrail’s Smithfield Terminal starting from our Wildlife Corridor, following a series of waterways flowing through Cattana Wetlands and into Half Moon Bay Beach, removing rubbish and debris preventing it from flowing into the river systems and coastal environments.
Making a Difference in our Community
Dividing into pairs, the Rangers travelled in opposite directions to create a tangible difference in nurturing the health of our immediate surroundings and ensure their long-term sustainability. Considering recent weather events across our region, the Rangers assumed that the health of the area would have significantly declined. So, they covered an incredible 6-kilometre area and stopped at six different sites along the way. Commencing at Skyrail, incorporating the Captain Cook Highway, two areas of the Smithfield Bypass, Dunne Creak Bridge and Half Moon Bay Beach.
Over 1,000 items were collected, yielding a total weight of 65 kilograms!
The team filled 13 Tangaroa Blue Foundation hessian bags and filled up their truck multiple times! This was their biggest clean up to date! Significant items of note were a TV, a car battery, tyre rims, a collection of PVC pipes, plastic plant pots, fishing lines and nets, so many cigarette butts, tin cans, soft drink cans and bottles, fast food wrappers, tissues and all kinds of plastics.
Skyrail & World Environment Day
The waterways beach clean up collection was carefully weighed, sorted, and counted under the guidance of Fernanda M de Faria, Tangaroa Blue Foundation Senior Operations Officer. Contributing our valuable data to the Australian Marine Debris Initiative (AMDI) database. This information plays a crucial role in understanding the sources and impacts of marine debris, guiding efforts to mitigate its environmental effects.
In the lead up to World Environment Day, it was the perfect opportunity to hold our Rainforest to Reef, The Skyrail Sustainables Waterways Beach Clean Up. We have always found that plastics have been the biggest polluter of our green spaces and waterways, aligning with their call for the protection and revival of ecosystems all around the world. We are proudly fulfilling our aim to safeguard our closest ecosystems and help revive and restore habitats and enhance native biodiversity.
Conservation in our area is vital as any rubbish in our vicinity could have been swept away unknowingly from these weather events. This is our opportunity to make the effort to find and recover as much as we can before it pollutes nearby waterways or ends up in the ocean.
Ranger Hayley, Skyrail Environment Manager
“I am so proud to be part of the Skyrail community, where the protection for our beautiful environment is so fiercely encouraged! Our team of Environmental Rangers were really looking forward to cleaning up the waterways that connect Skyrail Rainforest Cableway to the ocean and Great Barrier Reef. We are also very interested to see the effects following the recent flooding events due to Cyclone Jasper and since our previous clean ups of the same areas. So, it’s important now more than ever for everyone to get cleaning in our natural environments.”
The Skyrail Sustainables and our Environmental Rangers are acting as custodians of this fragile, globally significant environment in which we work to protect for future generations. Restoring these environments is critical and we take a responsibility to provide a safe clean habitat for all wildlife in our neighbourhood.
Operating in a UNESCO World Heritage Area, we are committed to adopting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to continue our plight to do good for the planet. We aim to preserve and protect connected waterways and oceans from the rainforest. As pioneers in eco-tourism, holding EarthCheck’s highest accolade, and boasting Ecotourism Australia Certifications, we are not just benchmarking year after year. We are walking the walk and talking the talk, by rolling up our sleeves to contribute to a healthier environment for future generations.
