Clean Up Cairns

Host or join a Clean Up this September!

Register your community, school or business Clean Up event with Clean Up Australia and let us know how we can support you.

Join a Clean Up near you. See dates and locations below - more will be added soon.

Every September, Council partners with Clean Up Australia to Clean Up Cairns.

A little litter is a big problem. Every piece of litter we leave on the ground can make its way into the sea, putting the Reef's marine life and delicate ecosystem at risk.

Since 2019, more than 1340 community members have volunteered their time at 86 clean-ups removing large amount - estimated at 221 wheelie bins or more than 9,503 tonnes - of debris, rubbish and litter!

Join us this September to help remove plastic bottles, food packaging, toys, household items, cooking items and discarded clothes plus significant number of large items including rusty bikes, crab pots, timber, road sign, old tent, and shopping trolleys from our local parks, beaches, wetlands and waterways.

2026 Clean Up Cairns events

Date	Meeting point	Clean up location	Host
Saturday 19 September	Rotary Park Babinda	Babinda Creek	Madjandji Aboriginal Corporation
Sunday 20 September	Cairns Central taxi rank	Cairns CBD	No More Butts
Sunday 27 September	Minnie St / Lily Creek intersection	Lily Creek	FNQ Rotaract

A little litter is a big problem

These Clean Ups are a key initiative under our Reef Guardian Council Action Plan, and help protect the Great Barrier Reef by improving the health of our urban waterways and reducing litter in our oceans.

See below a few messages worth sharing from our Traditional Owner Rangers and young people A Little Litter, Is A Big Problem!

Cleaning up your neighbourhood – anytime!

Did you know that cleaning up your local area doesn’t have to be limited to September? While Clean Up Cairns is a fantastic annual event, you can host a clean-up at any time of the year!

Organising a clean-up is a great way to:

Protect local wildlife and waterways
Reduce litter and pollution
Bring your community together for a positive cause

Ready to make a difference?

Register your event with Clean Up Australia and let us know how we can support you. Whether you need advice, resources, or promotional help, we’re here to assist in making your clean-up a success. Contact the Sustainability Team at sustainability@cairns.qld.gov.au

Together, we can keep Cairns beautiful—one clean-up at a time!