Who’s Who in 22, Environment: Pristine Peninsula

Residents passionate about protecting and cleaning up the environment have continued to make their voices heard through the Pristine Peninsula group in 2022.

It is an active Facebook group, which not only shares ideas, concerns and solutions but also takes action in the real world locally to make a difference.

This has included lobbying the State and Federal Governments to cease construction of an overpass at Clontarf, regularly collecting litter on the Redcliffe peninsula, cleaning up local beaches after the February floods, and voicing concerns about approvals for fast-food outlets in the area.

When pontoons and other rubbish washed up on Peninsula beaches during and following the devastating floods in February this year, the group asked people to report debris via its Facebook page, so it could alert the relevant authorities.

It also added its voice to the chorus of people against plans to build two new fast-food outlets at Kippa-Ring in April.

Founder and co-ordinator Les Barkla made an impassioned plea at a Moreton Bay Regional Council meeting, saying Pristine Peninsula members were concerned about the impact on the environment, health issues and road safety.

Les told the meeting the 100-day Love Clontarf campaign by Pristine Peninsula in 2021, that aimed to reduce litter, collected 2.8 tonnes of rubbish.

About Pristine Peninsula

The Pristine Peninsula group was created about four years ago by Les Barkla.

Its mission is to make the Redcliffe peninsula Australia's cleanest community, using a 6R’s strategy:

• RETHINK what you buy
• REFUSE single use packaging
• REDUCE your waste
• REUSE because you can
• REPAIR what you can
• RECYCLE everything you can

The group works with community clubs and groups, businesses and government encouraging environmentally sustainable practices to make the Redcliffe peninsula a cleaner place for current and future generations.

Members embrace the concept of thinking globally but acting locally.

Pristine Peninsula’s efforts in 2022 follow its bold 100-day Love our Clontarf litter campaign, during which members collected 2.8 tonnes of rubbish from a litter hotspot.

It targeted a 2km radius of the Snook and King streets intersection, Elizabeth Ave, and Frawley Fields precinct.

Pristine Peninsula founder and co-ordinator Les Barkla and waste warriors Sue and Phil Johnson presented a report to State Member for Redcliffe Yvette D’Ath and Councillors Karl Winchester (Div 6) and Sandra Ruck (Div 5) on August 26, 2021 and later to Federal Member for Petrie Luke Howarth.

The report contained 13 recommendations, calling for government to take priority action against serious litter issues, not just at Clontarf but on the Redcliffe peninsula, throughout Queensland and around Australia.

During the 100-day campaign, volunteers collected 15,706 items, an average of 157 litter items dropped every day across the 12 audit sites.