200kg

2021 – 2022

During the COVID-19 pandemic, I relocated to the small coastal town of Nelson. What began as daily walks along its wild, untouched beaches soon evolved into a profound commitment to environmental stewardship.

As I moved through these landscapes, I became acutely aware of the vast amount of marine debris washing ashore. I decided to turn my time into action, spending my days collecting waste from Lake Mombeong Discovery Bay Coastal Park, Piccaninnie Ponds Conservation Park, Nobles Rocks and the Nelson Estuary and ocean beaches.

Between May 2021 and August 2022, I developed a systematic approach to my collections:

  • Scouring the tidelines with a simple IKEA bag in hand.

  • Upon returning, I meticulously cataloged and photographed the finds to track the types of debris entering our ecosystem.

  • I categorised the waste into what could be recycled, what could be repurposed for art projects, and what required responsible disposal at the local waste transfer station.

The philosophy behind this project was simple: it is far better for waste to be secured in a managed landfill than to be left on our beaches to wash back out to sea, where it eventually breaks down into harmful microplastics.

Over a 2.5 year time frame, this personal initiative has successfully removed 598 kilograms of trash from our delicate coastal ecosystems—and the count continues to grow.

I acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the lands, the Gunditjmara people, on which the rubbish collects took place. I pay my respects to Elders past, present and emerging.

See the 300kg book (the first of the series).

A pile of assorted plastic debris and fragments with the text '200kg' overlayed in the center.
Open book showing a page with the text '200kg' in bold.
Open book with text about rubbish collection during May 2021 to August 2022 from Lake Mombeong to Nelson Estuary & Ocean beaches, with a note that photos were taken on an iPhone by Daniel Cordner.
Photo of a plastic bottle filled with mussel shells on sandy terrain.
Open magazine showing a photograph of a beach with waves and a cloudy sky.
A collection of crushed cigarette butts and debris scattered on the ground.
Pile of trash including plastic bottles, ropes, packaging, and miscellaneous debris
A collection of mud-covered sandals, slippers, and flip-flops arranged on a paved surface.
A pile of discarded plastic bottles, cans, and trash in a heap.
A collection of used face masks, some dirty and stained, laid out on a tiled pavement.
An open magazine with a two-page spread showing several black plastic flower pots with a grid design, placed on a beige surface.
Open magazine showing a photo of scattered trash, including plastic bags, containers, and crumpled paper on a sidewalk.
Open book showing a landscape view of green trees and hills under a cloudy sky.
A pile of crushed plastic water bottles on the ground.
A collection of discarded plastic water bottles, some crushed and dirty, spread across the ground.
Assorted crushed and empty plastic bottles scattered on dark surface.
Open magazine with two pages showing pictures of crushed plastic water bottles on the ground.
Open book showing two pages of a photo of collected plastic bottles on the ground.
Open book showing two pages with images of empty plastic bottles and containers collected for recycling.
Collection of discarded empty and dirty glass bottles and cans on a surface.
Assorted trashed soda cans, plastic bottles, coffee cups, and trash scattered on the ground.
Piles of discarded plastic and trash on a concrete sidewalk.
Open magazine showing two pages with photographs of trash and plastic waste, including paper wrappings, plastic bags, and various discarded snack packaging.
Photograph of crumpled, dirty plastic bags scattered on the ground.
Collection of assorted trash including a yellow buoy with 'F.C.' written on it, a black and yellow Croc shoe, plastic bottles, a can, a rock painted with a smiley face, and various debris on the sand.
Pile of trash including plastic bottles, ropes, and other discarded items.
Pile of trash including plastic bottles, cans, ropes, and various debris.
A photograph of a large pile of tangled, discarded trash including ropes, plastic pieces, and debris.
Open book showing two pages with photographs of worn and dirty shoes, some with sand and debris, on the left and shoes with cleaning supplies on the right.
Open magazine featuring photos of scattered gardening tools and supplies, including gloves, a trowel, a gardening fork, a plastic watering can, and a small hand rake, arranged on a brick surface.
Open magazine showing two pages with photos of various black plastic baskets, tools, gloves, and face masks on the ground.
Open book displaying two pages with photographs of colorful worn-out lifebuoys and water rescue equipment, placed on a brick surface.
Open book showing two pages with images of rocks and a rusty object. Left page features a rusted, cylindrical tank-barrel with a handle, alongside white and red stones. Right page displays a close-up of blue-gray rocks and metal debris.
Six different colorful ropes arranged on a stone surface.
A jumble of blue, green, and cream-colored tangled ropes and a white buoy on a stone pavement.
Open magazine featuring a colorful pile of tangled and frayed ropes and strings.
A messy pile of tangled, colorful ropes and strings in various shades including gray, blue, yellow, red, and green.
A photograph of tangled, colorful ropes and cords on the ground.
Open book with photographs of tangled ropes, plastic bottles, and trash on pages.
Open magazine showing photos of tangled plastic ropes and debris, including a plastic water bottle.
Pile of mixed trash including plastic bottles, aluminum cans, paper, and miscellaneous debris.
Open book showing images of discarded items on pavement: on the left, various metal and plastic pipes, and small tools; on the right, a worn face mask, a spoon, snack wrappers, and a colorful flip-flop.
Open book showing two pages with images of various discarded household items, including plastic containers, foam pieces, a red bucket, and kitchenware, on a dirty surface.
A collection of discarded plastic debris, including bottle caps, pieces of plastic, and other trash, scattered on the ground.
Open book showing two pages with photos of plastic debris, including bottle caps on the left page and scattered plastic pieces including a yellow toy construction vehicle on the right page.
Two plastic bags filled with plastic bottles and containers on a brick sidewalk.
Open magazine featuring photographs of bags filled with tangled ropes and marine debris on a gray background.
Open book showing tables of data related to beach visits, including date, location, and total kilograms, from January 2020 to August 2022.
Open magazine displaying a beach scene with a rainbow, cloudy sky, sandy shores, and sea water.
A collection of discarded plastic bottle caps and small plastic debris on the ground.