Community Comes Together to Clean Chipping Norton Lake in Canoe & Clean-Up Effort

Georges Riverkeeper is proud to acknowledge and thank the incredible 49 people including community volunteers who took part in the recent Chipping Norton Lake Canoe & Clean-Up event on Saturday 12 April 2025 removing an estimated 355 kilograms of litter from the lake and its surrounding environment. This was a new record for a Georges Riverkeeper community clean up event!

The event is part of Georges Riverkeeper’s ongoing effort to combat plastic pollution and promote community commitment to protecting our waterways. 

Georges Riverkeeper Program Manager, Nell Graham, said: “Congratulations and thank you to the dedicated community members who paddled out or walked the shores to help clean up Chipping Norton Lake. When dozens of people come together like this, to show pride in their environment and remove litter, it’s a powerful message that the health of our rivers is everyone’s responsibility.” 

Graham stressed: “Plastic waste is a persistent problem—it doesn’t decompose, it breaks into smaller microplastics that harm river health and wildlife and eventually human health. Our local councils do a good of job of maintaining public spaces, but unfortunately, litter often ends up in places that are hard to reach or outside routine maintenance—like bushland and waterways. Community clean-ups like this one help tackle the problem where it’s hardest to reach.” 

Organised by Georges Riverkeeper in collaboration with Liverpool City Council and River Canoe Club, the event was also supported by Greater Sydney Landcare. 

This initiative is just one part of Georges Riverkeeper’s broader mission. On behalf of seven local councils along the Georges River, the organisation runs programs focused on water quality monitoring, litter removal and prevention, bush and creek regeneration, stormwater advocacy, and community education.