Takesa Frank and Antonia Bewley are hoping Shoalhaven City Council will come on board with the project to help fund it, and to maintain the bins.  

They are aiming to have 20 of the bins installed at popular fishing destinations, such as Ulladulla Harbour, before summer. 

Inspired to make change by a trip to coastal Victoria, Takesa said she wanted to see the bins installed in an effort to reduce the amount of tackle getting in the ocean at fishing hot spots.

“When I was in Queenscliff, I saw a seal in the water tangled in tackle, and I thought ‘that could have come from the Shoalhaven’,” she said. 

“You never know how far plastic travels once it gets in the ocean. Plastic can travel really far.

“It was sad to see that we are the cause of this issue.” 

Takesa said she wanted to bring it to her hometown because of its popularity among anglers. 

They are hoping to secure funding through an organisation who makes the bins. Close to $2000 is needed to fund the 20 bins. 

“The aim is to stop as much fishing line and gear getting into the ocean as possible,” Takesa said. 

“We thought we would put them at the most popular fishing spots.”

Antonia backed the project because she was passionate about reducing the amount of rubbish going into the ocean. 

“There is no reason for it to be going in there,” she said. 

“This is our environment and we don’t want to see it ruined and animals killed because of it.” 

The students presented their idea to the Ulladulla and Districts Community Forum, as well as the Shoalhaven City Council meeting this week.