NEWS DESK
Litter paid for travellers’ way Stephen Taylor steve@mpnews.com.au AN aversion to litter and a desire to do something about it prompted a group of Mornington Peninsula residents to down tools and spend two months picking up empty bottles and cans along the Stuart Highway from Port Augusta in South Australia to Darwin. The trip for the five mates – who all have links to Boneo Cricket Club (the Boneo Pandas) – was financed entirely by collecting the 10c refunds paid for each item at six deposit points in towns on their 3000km journey. Their haul of 100,000 bottles and cans picked up along the roadside from early August to late September earned them the princely sum of $10,000. This paid for their food, petrol, accommodation and, if there was any left over, a few beers at the local pub. “We had a rule that we could not touch any of our own money,” said the trip’s organiser, Heath Laube, a semi-retired electrician and documentary maker, of Mt Martha. He said he wanted to show people “how filthy we are” in what was named the Panda Project, after the cricket club’s nickname. “I’ve driven that road four times during trips around Australia and seen how filthy it was,” he said. Also up for the challenge were Bob Denman (retired) of McCrae, Matt Rogers (sheet metal worker) has just moved from Rosebud to Kyneton, Jai
Rubbish money: Heath Laube, Jai Thoolen, Bob Denman, Brian “Birdy” Bird, Shane Kennedy and Matt Rogers collected enough rubbish to pay for their road trip from Port Augusta to Darwin. Picture: Yanni
Thoolen (jeweller and author of children’s books) of Rosebud, Shane Kennedy (plasterer) of Safety Beach, and Brian Bird (carpenter), Mt Martha. On their trip, which involved three vehicles and a caravan, the men drove slowly along the road, picking up discarded recyclable rubbish, which they stored in the ute and cage trailers which hold 3000-6000 items. A ute can hold 800 items which is equivalent to an $80 refund. “We had to be resourceful and strategic given the parameters of the trip,” Mr Laube said. “It was an amazing concept and
challenging given the dynamics and different personalities.” Compounding their difficulties was the constant 37-39 degree heat and the effects of radiant heat caused by the bitumen road. The men’s goal was to collect 100,000 recyclable items, which they achieved on 20 September, earning them $10,000. On the way they stopped at such tourist stop overs as Daley Waters and Uluru and, later, in Darwin at the Beachfront Hotel. Mr Laube gave talks on their project along the way and held question-and-
answer sessions to packed houses to highlight their message. “People clapped and cheered us,” he said. “If they know you are putting yourself out they will, too.” A “horrific” experience was discovering huge piles of burnt plastic and household waste at semi-official roadside tips. The rubbish had been collected by contractors from roadside bins where, presumably, road-users had placed it thinking they were doing the right thing. Instead of being recycled the waste was dumped in slit trenches and set alight. Roadhouses also burnt their
plastic rubbish rather than carting it to recycling depots. At one stop the men were able to salvage 4500 unburnt waste items from these tips and deposit them later – collecting $450 in 90 minutes. The men found the complacency with which people discarded recyclable waste soul-destroying. “They are given polystyrene-packaged food at roadhouses which goes straight into the bins and is then burnt at the tip,” Mr Laube said. “We found hundreds of complementary water bottles with only a sip taken out before it was dumped. “There must be hundreds of these wasted every day and the state’s environment minister must know about it: it needs to be addressed.” Lots of people asked the men why they bothered with the litter-clean-up project in the first place. “We did it to prove a point,” Mr Laube said. “Coming back we drove south along the Stuart Highway and the litter was just as bad as it had been on our way up. “We had thought that if people saw the roadside clean they wouldn’t throw litter but, no, they still did. They must have a way of justifying it in their minds.” Mornington Peninsula road users must think along similar lines: Mr Laube said he collected 178 plastic waste items in long grass along one side of a 500-metre stretch of Bentons Rd, Mornington, last week. See footage of the trip at facebook/ pandaprojectoz and comments can be left on the group’s Facebook page.
WHAT’S ON AT NEPTOURS *CROWN CASINO – MONTHLY*
Casino’s bus program with a great BUFFET lunch (all) $35. Only p/p over the age of 18 permitted.
DREAM LOVER
Wed 24 Jan 2018 (a) $130 (p/s) $120
PENINSULA FEBRUARY 2017
Living & visiting on the Mornington
BEAUTIFUL CAROL KING STORY
MARCH 2017
LIVING & VISITING ON THE MORNINGTON PENINSULA
...Don’t miss securing that wanted property
Peninsula Essence is a FREE magazine bringing you the best the Peninsula has to offer.
PENINSULA APRIL 2017
Living & visiting
FREE
on the Morningto
n Peninsula
Equine Angel • Hello Hannie • Lantasia • Kenny Brunner: Straight Outta Compton • Madeline Makes Her Mark • Healing The Soul • Foxy Lady • The Heart Of A Boxer • Breaking The Street Art Stigma • Must Try Dishes • Sorrento Mansion For Sale
• Picture Perfect Purple Vet Keeping Blue Blood Racing On Track • Sandcastles To Build • Photography For A Cure Nathan loves Ricky Martin • Its Hip To Be Square • Style File And Portia As Neighbours Food Glorious Food • What Next For Warrawee? • Imagine Ellen
LIVING & VISITING ON THE MORNINGTON
Front Cover -
APRIL 2017.indd
BGS_PeninsulaEss
All Pages
ence_Apr2017OTL.
indd 1
PENINSULA
Wed 23 May 2018 (a) $130 (p/s) $120
THE MORNINGTON PENINSULA
WIZARD OF OZ
LIVING & VISITING ON
Wed 10 Jan 2018 (matinee) (a) $140 (p/s) $130
Regent Theatre Wed 14 Mar 2018 (a) $140 (p/s) $130
ESSENCE APRIL 2017
ALADDIN
PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT
FREE
Living & visiting on the Mornington Peninsula PENINSULA
Tue 12 Dec - All $30
Peninsula
PENINSULA
LAST THURSDAY EACH MTH Wed 7 Mar 2018 matinee (numbers permitting) (a) $140 (p/s) $130
QUEEN VICTORIA MARKET
FREE
17/03/17 12:59 PM
New Life For Church • Guardian Angel Of The Animals • Feature: Health, On The Record • Wellness, Beauty Peninsula • The Art Of Travelling Bringing The Magic • Coranderrk • Paella Photos Touch To Morley’s Passion • Focus On Safety Beach • All In The Family
23/03/2017 5:05:24 PM
✓ Immediate access to Bond & Rent ✓ Move into that property now ✓ Fast prompt assistance ✓ Easy terms and conditions ✓ No upfront fees and charges ✓ Pre approval before finding a property ✓ We can assist with transfer of bonds between properties
WE CAN ASSIST YOU WITH IMMEDIATE ACCESS TO BOND AND RENT
Pick up your copy in shops and cafes across the Peninsula or visit our website peninsulaessence.com.au
✆1300 554 470
Phone: 5981 1277
2-4 Chelsea Rd, Chelsea VIC 3196 Fax: 03 9776 2929 Email: info@bondassist.com.au
www.neptours.com.au
www.bondassist.com.au
New generation TOP-UP hearing aids now FREE* Eligible pensioners and veterans are entitled to FREE hearing aids through the government’s hearing services scheme*, or they can pay extra (TOP-UP) for hearing aids with additional or more advanced features. As an EXCLUSIVE SPECIAL OFFER, Hidden Hearing is providing eligible pensioners and veterans with certain TOP-UP hearing aids incorporating the
latest generation technology (valued at $3,000) FREE OF CHARGE until the END OF DECEMBER.
CALL NOW to book your FREE hearing assessment and start hearing better again.
The choice is yours, either a discreet deep canal aid or a miniature receiver in canal aid. In both cases the aids will be small and discreet, and programmed to your specific hearing levels and unique personal needs.
1800 717 717
www.hiddenhearing.com.au
HIDDEN,, UH EARING "A hearing loss is more noticeable than a hearing aid"
*Conditions and eligibility requirements apply under the Commonwealth Hearing Services Voucher System. Offer ends December 31st, 2017.
PAGE 12
Mornington News
28 November 2017