Our clean up day got into Parks Victoria New Letter

Prospecting Volunteers are pure gold
Thursday 11 December, 2014

Parks Victoria praised the efforts of the Central Goldfields Branch of the Prospectors and Miners’ Association of Victoria on their first “Clean Up Our Parks Day” at the Havelock Nature Conservation Reserve near Maryborough last month.

Bill Schultz, a local Maryborough gold prospector decided it was time to clean up the bush after noticing the increasing amount of litter being illegally dumped while out prospecting in the bushland.

“We found all sorts of rubbish from bottles to truck tyres in heritage areas dating back to the 1850’s” Mr Schultz said.

Parks Victoria Ranger Rob Brouwers welcomed the community interest in lending a hand to clean up the park.

“The day was a great success with about 20 volunteers from the Prospectors and Miners’ Association and the local Maryborough Rubbish Ridders Group. All of the individuals worked tirelessly to collect rubbish and recycling and deliver the items to the local landfill” said Mr Brouwers.

Over a period of 5 hours the group cleaned up about eight cubic metres of rubbish. Volunteers noted that while the bulk of the rubbish had been in situ for some time, a large amount of rubbish had also been recently dumped.

“It’s disappointing that some people continue to use parks as dumping grounds” said Mr Brouwers “but we are extremely thankful that others in the community are willing to put their hands up and be involved in the clean up”.

Parks Victoria provided support on the day and a well deserved BBQ for the hard working volunteers. To cap off the activity, several prospectors continued on in the afternoon, but in their preferred activity of searching for gold.

Prospectors and Miners’ Association of Victoria and Parks Victoria hope to carry out the Clean Up day again next year to continue restoring local parks and reserves.

For information about volunteering at Parks Victoria, contact 13 1963.

Well done Bill

It was a nice positive article that the parks put in their news paper..
It will put all prospector's on a positive note..  
Instead of seeing us as just taking from the land,
The prospectors gave back by cleaning the land  

And a big thankyou also to parks Victoria for supplying the
I am sure all that attend worked up a big appetite

A great effort by Womat (Bill) and the central gold fields Branch as well as Lynnie and the Bendigo branch with thier effort in the Whipstick where I helped for the day it's pleasing to see the prospecting community willing to do their bit for the environment and Bill and Lynnie co ordinating the clean ups well done to all cheers Terry