Close to 8000 pieces of rubbish were cleared from the mangroves lining Marsh Road at Bobs Farm this month as part of a second clean up organised by Port Stephens conservation organisation Sea Shelter.
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Organiser Lia Pereira said the first five-hour clean up in June 2018 yielded 18,000 pieces of rubbish but it did not feel like a done job, which is why volunteers returned to the same stretch of road on May 4.
"Even though we were still picking up the stuff we had to leave behind last year, plus items that were added since, it was great to have a feeling that this time we weren't leaving anything behind," she said.
Volunteers collected 7359 pieces of rubbish between 10am and 3pm. By the end of the clean, they had 49 bags of rubbish to take to the tip.
Some interesting finds included 39 strawberry style plastic containers, five wallets, 1273 advertising magazines in one large pile still rolled up, 3151 pieces of plastic, 681 alcohol bottles, 277 cigarette butts, 404 car parts and seven pieces of asbestos.
Sea Shelter, Ocean Coastal Care Initiative, Irukandji Shark and Ray Encounters, Plastic Free Port Stephens and Port Stephens Sailing and Aquatic Club will host an event in Fingal Bay on June 8 to mark World Oceans Day.
The Fingal Forage, being held next to the surf club, is a race style event that sees groups of two to eight people complete ocean-related activities.
Fingal Forage starts at 9am. Head to the Sea Shelter Facebook page for more details and to register.
