Coastal Advocacy Campaign in Victoria Targets Ban on Mechanical Raking
What happened
The organization Hand in Hand for the Coast, based in Mornington Peninsula, won the 2026 EPA Waste Prevention and Reduction Award and the Tidy Town of the Year award. Local advocates, including Josie Jones, have been campaigning against the use of mechanical raking for beach cleaning, arguing that the practice is ineffective and embeds litter in the sand. This advocacy work has involved citizen science and evidence gathering for over a decade.
From mpnews.com.au
Why it matters
The campaign pressures local government to change established municipal cleaning practices. Jones has stated that mechanical raking is detrimental to the peninsula's unique ecosystems. If the ban is implemented, it would require a shift in how local beaches are maintained.
From mpnews.com.au
Who's involved
- JonesCoastal advocate campaigning to ban mechanical raking in Victoria
- VictoriaLocation where the coastal advocacy campaign is taking place
- PattonInvolved in coastal management advocacy in Victoria
- governmentGoverning body being pressured by the campaign to change operational practices
Who could feel it
Possible knock-on effectsThese are possibilities Brind reasoned out, not predictions, and not advice. Most are not stated in any report.
- governmentSpeculative
The government might face increased municipal operational costs due to the shift from mechanical raking to hand-cleaning.