Barnacle-encrusted bikes, valuable antique bottles, tyres, chairs and road signs were all pulled from the water under the Singing Bridge, which links the townships of Tea Gardens and Hawks Nest. 

Gordon Grainger, a spokesperson for the Myall River Action Group, said more than 20 community members had pulled together with divers, the SES, maritime, police and surf lifesavers for the mammoth task. 

The clean-up was financially supported by the Lions Club, Rotary, the local progress association and MidCoast Council. 

“It was a bit of running around, that’s for sure,” Mr Grainger said. 

The rubbish and debris was first uncovered a couple of years ago, when MidCoast Council was installing a new jetty. 

Mr Grainger put the accumulation of the trash down to the historic use of the river as a port and the community’s “usual braindead” tossing things off the edge of the bridge. 

The Myall River Action Group swung into action last May, using divers to remove two trailer loads of the garbage. However their efforts at the time were hampered by weather conditions which obscured visibility for the divers. 

They had more luck on Wednesday, but were still unable to complete the job due to the volume of the rubbish to be removed. 

“Some of the bikes were quite valuable, they’d been there for years,” Mr Grainger said. 

He praised the efforts of the volunteers – both on boats and on the shore – and the local businesses that gave donations for a barbeque that followed. 

“Everyone offered to lend a hand,” he said. 

“We’re no spring chickens but when something needs to be done, the community groups within this town are absolutely phenomenal.”