Catherine Stallman couldn’t stand the sight of abandoned clothing strewn across Sydney’s beaches after a warm weekend, so she decided to do something about it.
“It was very good-quality clothing just simply left behind,” Ms Stallman says.
She began collecting the towels and clothes, washing them, sorting them, and donating them to charities.
For the past 30 years, Ms Stallman has walked up and down the beaches collecting abandoned towels, sunglasses, hats, shirts, and shoes.
She only picks things up if they’ve been there for at least two days, when it is clear they have been forgotten.
After the recent warm long weekend, she picked up a full washing load, including three towels, three pairs of shorts, and two baseball caps.
Ms Stallman washes usable garments and towels then donates them to Wayside Chapel, a charity based in Bondi and Kings Cross where she also volunteers.
“What got me started was just the quantity of clothing that was left,” Ms Stallman says.
“The thought of it going into the rubbish bin into landfill, when it was very good-quality clothing.”
Ms Stallman began her clean-ups at Camp Cove beach in Sydney’s east, and has more recently started at Bondi.
She would like to see beachgoers taking more responsibility for themselves after a day on the sand.
“If you don’t pick up after yourself, somebody else has to and it goes into the bin and then into landfill,” Ms Stallman says.
“It’s just respect for the beach and the environment.”
Council donating forgotten clothing
A Waverley Council spokesperson says abandoned clothing and towels found at beaches by council staff are donated to charities.
“Any clothes or towels left on beach and pool railings is collected once a week by staff and washed,” they said.
“The clothing is then donated to Vinnies and the towels are donated to dog shelters.”
Charity’s call for more towels and hats
Wayside Chapel chief executive and pastor Jon Owen says it’s worrying to see the amount of clothing and towels abandoned on the beach after a busy day.
“Most of them would be going to landfill and very easily could wash out into our oceans,” Mr Owen says.
“We’re so grateful that we have some angels, particularly one angel, who scours our beaches and brings in all the clothes that are salvageable and gives them a good wash.”
Wayside Chapel says it welcomes clean towels for donation as about 90 people use the showers at their facilities each day.
The summer months are the deadliest of the year for rough sleepers, according to Mr Owen.
As the weather warms up, Wayside Chapel is making a plea for donations of towels and hats.
“Without sunscreen and hats, the increased chances of skin cancers and melanomas grows and we think that would multiply for someone who spends most of their time outdoors as well,” Mr Owen says.
“So we’re putting in a call for towels, toiletries, and hats … particularly as we look down the barrel of some extended months of extreme weather conditions.”
