August and September 2009 was a busy one for Dhimurru with several large marine debris cleanups taking place along the coastline.

The first was undertaken in conjunction with Conservation Volunteers Australia (CVA) between the 26 and31 August. CVA provided Dhimurru with 6 able bodied workers to assist them with the arduous task of cleaning up the beaches of Wanuwuy (Cape Arnhem). Along with these volunteers, 10 Dhimurru rangers and facilitators took part in the cleanup plus two visiting rangers from Napranam, near Weipa.  Even with the combined assistance of 18 people, the effort still spanned three days of collection and three days of sorting, weighing and recording of data. It was found that over a tone of rubbish was collected during the cleanup along approximately 4kms of beach from Moon Island to just past Gayngada (Twin Eagles). Among  the 7, 737 individual items which were picked up and recorded,  13 individual ghost nets were collected which contained an entangled Hawksbill Turtle and a sea snake, both found dead. Other interesting finds were 1967 bottle tops, 1341 coloured plastic bottles, 246 lighters, 102 toothbrushes and 2075 thongs (no statistics were taken on right or left thongs found). 

Dhimurru has been undertaking a marine debris cleanup and survey along this particular stretch of beach in order to collect long term data on the amount of rubbish which reaches the shore in these areas. The surveys were initiated when concerns were raised by Yolngu custodians in regards to the amount of rubbish that was appearing on the beaches, in particular the ghost nets which are abandoned commercial fishing nets which drift unattended at sea. The drift nets, or ghost nets, collect ocean wildlife in their travels and often entangle endangered sea turtles. Dhimurru, with assistance from the Carpentaria Ghost Nets Programme, regularly undertake beach patrols and cleanups to remove these nets from the beaches and prevent them from re-entering the sea.

The second large cleanup occurred 7-11 September at Ritjila, south of Djulpan and Port Bradshaw. This cleanup was undertaken with World Expedition volunteers. Over eight ute loads of rubbish was collected from this beach. 53 ghost nets were collected, the largest measuring 55 metres in length.

Dhimurru would like to acknowledge CVA, the Napranam rangers and NT Parks and Wildlife for their assistance with collecting and sorting the debris, Rio Tinto Alcan who generously supplied accommodation and meals for the volunteers during their stay, North Australian Indigenous Land and Sea Management and the Australian Government Department o f Education, Employment and Work Place Relations for their support, and finally the Carpentaria Ghost Nets Programme for all their assistance.