Passionate residents in the eastern suburb of Bushmead have their sights set on keeping their local reserve clean.
There was a significant increase in rubbish being blown into local bushlands when construction started in the Bushmead Estate area in 2017.
To tackle this problem and keep the suburb tidy, local residents have formed the Bushmead Conservation Cobbers, led by Dr Fiona Audcent-Ross.
The Bushmead Conservation Cobbers work together to care for the flora and fauna of the 185-hectare Bushmead Reserve.
“Litter is unsightly, disrespectful and a hazard to wildlife. Whereas a pristine environment encourages community pride, ownership and community involvement,” Fiona said.
“Lots of people here make the effort to pick up rubbish should they chance upon it.”
The Bushmead Conservation Cobbers host regular clean-ups, with their most popular one held around Clean Up Australia Day in March each year.
“I signed the Bushmead Conservation Cobbers up to the Keep Australia Beautiful Adopt-a-Spot Scheme which means we're required to do a few clean-ups a year,” Fiona said.
“I also think it’s a good idea to organise a morning tea afterwards to give everyone the chance to catch up with other community members.”
One recent focus for the group has been cleaning up the bushland near Archerfield Parkway, where there is a lot of building activity coming to an end.
“It’s also a focus as I had obtained extra plants from our community grant funds and some plants from the City of Swan plant giveaway," Fiona said.
“We planted these in Archerfield as we're working on improving cover for our quenda and other wildlife.”
The City of Swan Waste Services team has been supporting the Bushmead Conservation Cobbers for some time.
“It’s wonderful having the City support our efforts, often lending us equipment like long tongs and rubbish pickers, and giving us bags, too,” Fiona said.
“They efficiently organise our rubbish from official events and our occasional unplanned rubbish collections as well.”
The City is passionate about supporting grassroots sustainability, and helping residents like Fiona and the Bushmead Conservation Cobbers.
If you’re interested in joining the Bushmead Conservation Cobbers at their next clean-up, you can follow them on Facebook.
To learn more about how the City has partnered with Keep Australia Beautiful to support the Adopt-a-Spot program, visit the City's website.