Local kids take action and make art to save creek creatures

Students from Westbreen Primary School have turned plastic litter collected from a local creek to create beautiful sculptures of native animals threatened by pollution in their local waterway. 

The children voted on which sculptures to create, including a rakali and a platypus. The sculptures, crafted from litter collected from Westbreen Creek, were showcased at a school event last week.  

“The kids are the future and they’ve co-designed and taken ownership of this project, so they are already part of the solution for Westbreen Creek,“ said Litter Action Lead at Chain of Ponds, Neil Sutton. 

Neil, who led the Litter Arty Pickup Party effort over the last six months, also helped the children put the finishing touches to their sculptures.  

“We were excited to work with Neil and are extremely pleased with the final results,” said a Westbreen Primary School pupil. 

Over the last six months, the children investigated the source of the litter by exploring the streets around the school and Westbreen Creek, where it accumulates downstream of a large stormwater drain.  

“The power of this project was in how the students showed leadership over this term, had their voices heard, and made a positive change in the community,” said Westbreen Primary School, Acting Principal, Justin Lania.

“The lesson for our students is that positive action can make a difference.” 

The Chain of Ponds collaboration is working to transform Moonee Ponds Creek and its tributaries and improve the remaining habitat for local species.  

This iconic Melbourne waterway provides social, cultural and environmental benefits which is why it’s important to change behaviour across our catchments when it comes to litter. 

“There is no single agency responsible for litter so a collaborative approach focused on behaviour change is, in my opinion, the only way to make an impact,” said Neil.  

The Litter Arty project is part of an action plan to prevent litter pollution in Moonee Ponds Creek Catchment with Greater Western Water, Melbourne Water, and community groups collaborating on a range of initiatives. 

Across all 25,000km of Melbourne’s rivers, creeks and catchments, Melbourne Water spends approximately $1.6 million in litter management every year.