Your invite to ‘wonderful opportunity’ to help turtles

As the first turtle hatchlings prepare to break free from their sandy nests, it's that time of the year when we all come together to clean up our beaches to help protect these tiny creatures.

To do this, Sunshine Coast Council invites the community to participate in the 11th annual Clean up for the Hatchlings event on Saturday, February 1, 2025.

Sunshine Coast Council is proud to host this event in collaboration with Reef Check Australia, SEA LIFE Trust and Noosa Council.

Event details

Date: Saturday, February 1, 2025

Time: 6am beach clean-up, 8am to 10am thank-you event

Locations: Various beach locations between Noosa and Caloundra

How to register: Volunteers can register now to help collect marine debris at designated beach locations at 6am.

Following the event, participants are invited to Coopers Lookout Park, south of the Kawana Surf Club, for a free barbecue, interactive displays and other fun activities.

The collected marine debris will be weighed and sorted to highlight the impact of our efforts.

This event will be single-use plastic-free, so please bring a reusable water bottle, coffee cup, gloves, enclosed footwear, and sun protection.

A group of people collecting rubbish on a sandy beach, working together to clean up the environment.

A group of people collecting rubbish on a sandy beach, working together to clean up the environment. They have a white bag in their hand to contain the rubbish.

Children wearing hats, engaged in various art activities at a table, creating colorful artwork together.

A adult female and young child collecting rubbish on a sandy beach, working together to clean up the environment.

A large group of people sitting in the shade, watching presenters at a festival.

Sunshine Coast Council’s Environment and Liveability Portfolio Councillor Tim Burns invited the community to come together to help protect our turtle hatchlings.

“We are a turtle-friendly community on the Sunshine Coast, and this event is a wonderful opportunity to make a positive impact for our turtle hatchlings,” Cr Burns said.

“So far this nesting season, we’ve had around 30 turtle nests with more coming everyday. Cleaning up the beaches will give these little guys the best start in life.”

Event schedule

6am: beach clean-up at your chosen location (registration required)
8am – 10am: Thank-you event at Coopers Lookout Park, Pacific Blvd, Buddina, featuring:
- Free barbecue for clean-up participants
- Kids’ activities corner
- Educational stalls
- Presentations and talks