Beach clean up program

We partner with volunteers, schools, businesses and community groups to protect our local beaches and coastal environments from litter and marine debris.

Since 2016, together we have collected over 740,000 pieces of litter, more than 16 tonnes of rubbish as part of the beach clean-up program.

How to get involved

• whenever you are out in our beautiful environment, please safely pick up any litter you see. Even just one piece can make a difference
• join in with some of our clean ocean champions below, from on the ground action to sharing information and inspiration through social media, there are so many ways to get involved
• join in one of council’s regional beach clean up events listed below
• start your own regular beach clean up for the community to join. For further details and support contact council.

Council event	Date	Details
Schools beach clean up	4 November 2026	Schools beach clean up is a school based clean up held in November each year to prepare our beaches for the return of the nesting loggerhead turtles. For more details contact coastal lakes and wetlands. Expressions of interest for schools will open in August.
Clean up for the hatchlings	31 January 2026	Clean-up for the Hatchlings is an event held annually at the start of the year, before our turtle hatchlings arrive. We have volunteers and coordinators at most beach locations along the Sunshine Coast where turtles have nested over summer. You can register your interest on Eventbrite. The event aims to remove as much marine debris from our beaches as possible in order to give our loggerhead turtle hatchlings the safest journey to the ocean possible!
Clean up Australia Day	1 March 2026	Clean up Australia Day is held on the first Sunday in March every year. For more information about this event and locations where you can join in on the clean up action contact the clean up Australia website.
Plastic free July	5 July 2026	The Plastic Free July campaign is launched with a Plastic Free Sea Beach Clean Up & EcoFair. This is a community event co-coordinated by Visionary Ocean Warriors.  Follow Visionary Ocean Warriors socials to keep up to date.

For further information about joining a group, please contact one of the many clean ocean champions listed below:

Various locations

• Coolum and North Shore coast care
• Conservation Volunteers Australia
• ECOllaboration
• Environmental divers
• Ocean Crusaders
• Plastic free Sunshine Coast 
• Reef check Australia
• Surfrider Sunshine Coast

Specific locations

• Night Eyes water and land care group (southern end of the Sunshine Coast)
• Sea Life Sunshine Coast - Mooloolaba Beach and other waterways
• Visionary Ocean Warriors - Golden Beach

There are so many individuals, schools, groups and businesses helping to keep our Sunshine Coast clean. If you would like your beach clean up added to the above list please contact coastal lakes and wetlands.