Pearl Beach wins clean beach award

Pearl Beach has received a number of awards in the NSW Keep Australia Beautiful Clean Beach Challenge at a special ceremony at Wamberal Surf Club on November 4.

Pearl Beach was declared the Central Coast regional winner of this year's Clean Beach Challenge while also winning the Community Partnerships and Action Award.

Pearl Beach also took home a highly commended award in the Environmental Protection category.

Killcare also won two awards: the Resource Recovery Award and the Sydney Water Conservation Award, together with Wamberal Beach.

"Being named the regional winner of the Keep Australia Beautiful NSW Clean Beach Award is a feather in the cap for the Pearl Beach residents who are delighted and proud that their beach received this award," past president of the Pearl Beach Progress Association Mr Rod Craig said.

"Pearl Beach has maintained a policy of not cleaning the beach mechanically instead members of the community keep it clean and encourage visitors to do the same.

"Pearl Beach is an environmental village and that is the way we want to keep it."

In its ninth year, the Keep Australia Beautiful NSW Clean Beach Challenge enhances beachside communities by promoting environmental awareness, personal initiative and civic pride, according to chief executive officer of Keep Australia Beautiful NSW Mr Peter McLean.

Mr McLean said the program recognised and rewarded coastal communities, local councils, volunteers and surf life saving clubs and schools for initiatives that enhance, protect and preserve the NSW coastline.

"The Clean Beach Challenge has been extremely competitive this year with a range of beaches receiving awards for their excellence," Mr McLean said.

"Many of the beaches are showing true initiative in dealing with their delicate beach environments.

"Pearl Beach is the clear regional winner of this hotly contested award and will now be in the running, with other regional winners from up and down the NSW coast, for the state award to be announced in Sydney on December 4."

Clean Beach Challenge Assessor for the Central Coast Ms Natalie Stevens said Pearl Beach was to be congratulated for providing a beautiful coastal retreat for the community.

"Pearl Beach is a small but well known beach, family-oriented, with an environmentally aware community that is leading by example through active involvement," Ms Stevens said.

"This community deserves recognition for the way they have protected the beach in conjunction with the local council, their continuing participation in its upkeep, and the way they have provided for community education and activities regarding the beach environment. "They are outstanding in all aspects of the criteria."

Press release, 4 Nov 2009 Elizabeth Jarrett, Keep Australia Beautiful NSW