Sailor says If you don't Clean Up Australia, who will?

by Sail-World.com on 28 Feb 2009 Sydney-sider Ian Keiran has also been a dedicated sailor, sailing competitively for more than 40 years and representing Australia at the Admiral's, Southern Cross, Dunhill, Clipper, Kenwood and Trans Pacific Cup competitions.

Last Christmas he was on the startline for the Hobart race with his beloved Tasman Seabird Maris, who came out of retirement in her 50th year, to win the Gosford to Lord Howe Race

Two decades ago Ian represented Australia in the BOC Challenge solo around-the-world yacht race. He finished sixth out of a fleet of 25 yachts from 11 nations, setting an Australian record for a solo circumnavigation of the world.

During the BOC Challenge that Ian was appalled by the amount of rubbish floating in the world's oceans.

He committed himself to do something about it on his return, starting in his own backyard - Sydney Harbour.

With the support of a committee of friends, he organised a community event - Clean Up Sydney Harbour on Sunday 8 January 1989. They were overwhelmed by the response from Sydney residents, with 40,000 volunteers turning out to lend a hand to clean up. Clocking forward ten years the Clean Up campaign is now world-wide.

Clean Up Australia Chairman Ian Kiernan AO, urges our community to get involved and reduce the 16 million tonnes of rubbish that is either being dumped in the environment or sent to landfill where it cannot be recycled.

'Australians generate almost 32 million tonnes of rubbish each year – that’s about 1.5 tonnes from each and every one of us and, per person, ranks us as the second highest producers of waste in the world.

'We are pretty good at recycling but half of the rubbish we produce is still heading to landfill, which we are fast running out of space for, or is polluting our natural environment,' the sailors says.

'We can all do something about it.'

The 19th Clean Up Australia Day is this Sunday March 1st, 2009.

As Ian says 'We can all do our bit to make a difference. After all, if you don’t help Clean Up Australia, who will?'


We have not got a list of waterside locations, but some locations that you can go to include

d’Albora Marinas – The Spit Mosman NSW

d’Albora Marinas – Akuna Bay

d'Albora Marinas - Nelson Bay

d’Albora Marinas – Rushcutters Bay

d'Albora Marinas - Cabarita Point