Whitsundays 'Wray' of sunshine

An extremely lucky sea creature who found himself in an unfortunate situation, has found his way safely back home.

Little ‘Wray’ the friendly green sea turtle became trapped in an abandoned crab pot near Long Island and has been taken care of and safely released back into the wild by Fauna Rescue Whitsundays, Libby Edge and Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service.

Local resident John Whatmough came to little Wray’s rescue that day.

"The turtle was extremely lucky he did not drown in that crab pot as he had been caught in it for who knows how long?" he said.

The loveable turtle caught a lift out to sea on Friday with Eco Barge and was released safely.

While celebrating the turtle’s happy ending, Libby Edge along with Eco Barge Clean Seas volunteers were also celebrating World Ocean Day with a trip to Shaw Island.

Together, the eco-friendly group were able to remove a total of 278kg of marine debris.

This week the Eco Barge Clean Seas Inc. band of volunteers will count and sort this huge pile of marine debris and enter each and every piece into a national marine debris data base to help find out where and what types of marine debris enters the Whitsunday islands.

Founding Chair of Eco Barge Clean Seas Inc. Libby Edge wants to thank all the support from Bingo Whitsunday at Club Crocodile and the hard effort all the volunteers who made World Oceans Day such a great success.

"That is 278 kilos less plastic in our precious marine environment. This is the best gift we can give back to our oceans and marine life," Libby said.

"This clean up day was a true community effort to help protect our local marine environment."

Eco Barge Services a finalist in State Award

 One of the Whitsundays' own is in the running to take home a Queensland-wide award.

 Libby Edge, director of Eco Barge Services is one of just three finalists in the Peabody Environment and Landcare Award, through the state-wide Regional Achievement and Community Awards.

 Upon hearing the news, Libby said she was lost for words, though she has put the achievement down to a combined effort.

 Although this is an individual award, by no means would I have this opportunity without the support from my precious sponsors, the 200 volunteers who have donned the gloves to help collect marine debris from our coastline, and the support from my husband and kids," Libby said.

 "I really want to thank the community for embracing our Marine Debris Removal Program. We are hoping this award will help promote our program and help us find the funding our program needs to continue protecting our islands and marine life from the threats of marine debris."

 Eco Barge was launched in 2009 and since then, Libby and the passionate volunteers have been working wonders to minimise the threat of marine debris to the local environment.

 So far, more than 55,000 kilograms of debris has been removed from local waterways and islands over the few years.

 The service also hopes to be involved in implementing training programs and initiatives about rubbish disposal and safe environmental practices in local schools in the near future.

 "This (award) means exposure Queensland-wide to show the wonderful work of the program in helping the environment in the Whitsundays," Libby said.

 Libby will attend the Gala Dinner in Brisbane on November 12, where the winner of the Peabody Environment and Landcare Award will be announced.

Tony Abbott visits the Whitsundays

 The leader of the Opposition Tony Abbott made a brief stop in the Whitsundays this week, whilst promoting his anti carbon tax campaign. Mr Abbott took time out from his busy schedule to become an eco-warrior for an afternoon, joining Eco Barge Services director Libby Edge and her trusty band of volunteers in a clean-up mission to South Molle.

 “For me, it was really stunning to see just how much rubbish there was on beaches that to the naked eye at first glance look pretty pristine. It’s really important that we encourage people like Libby,” Mr Abbott said.

 “I think that the Government has neglected direct action on the environment ever since the current government started talking about emissions trading schemes and carbon taxes. Real action to help the environment has been lacking,” he said.

 Mr Abbott told the Guardian that as well as opposing the carbon tax the coalition had plenty of “positive environmental policies”.

 “One of the policies that I’m particularly committed to is the Green Army which is about deploying 15,000 people into environmental hotspots like this to provide the hands-on, practical environmental assistance that appropriate land care for Australia really needs. The Green Army would certainly be available to supplement the work of Libby Edge and her volunteers cleaning up this part of our coastline,” he said.

 Ms Edge, whose Eco Barge program relies on funding, said it was wonderful to take Tony Abbott on a trip and show him first-hand what marine debris is.

 “If Tony can come onboard and support us in protecting our island (which is Australia), from dumping our rubbish into the ocean, protecting our islands and our marine life, that would be a wonderful solution,” she said.

 Yesterday, Mr Abbott also took the opportunity to meet representatives from Tourism Whitsundays and industry leaders, who were keen to ensure the coalition had an understanding of tourism in the region and the challenges currently faced.

 Tourism Whitsunday Chief Executive Officer Peter O’Reilly said discussions included a number of the region’s crucial infrastructure projects, including the Whitsunday Coast Airport, Airlie Beach’s main street and broader issues such as the shortcomings of the Bruce Highway.

 “We were able to point out that the Whitsundays is the most tourism dependent region in Queensland, with Queensland’s greatest concentration of tourism workers. It is great to have recognition from the highest level of alternative government in this country,” Mr O’Reilly said. 

 Executive Secretary for the Whitsunday Charter Boat Industry Association (WCBIA) Deb Lewis, who attended the meeting, said Federal Member for Dawson George Christensen had taken issues away to address immediately.

 “Tony Abbott was very mindful of our situation, but at the end of the day the proof’s in the pudding,” Ms Lewis said.

 “All politicians can talk rhetoric but it should be about getting results.”