After happy holidaymakers finish cruising the beautiful waters of the Hawkesbury, the glow from their houseboat adventure continues – with the 10c refund from empty drink containers donated to charity.
Holidays Afloat have been donating the refund from Return and Earn containers used by customers on their boats to the McGrath Foundation since 2019.
To date, the recycling effort has added up to $22,300.
“When customers are on the houseboat fleet, they eat and drink obviously, and the rubbish used to go in the normal garbage,” explained Holidays Afloat co-owner Karen Hayward.
“Then our daughter told us that you can choose who you donate the refunds to with Return and Earn.
“Previously we paid to get 10c containers taken away. Now customers put the empty drink containers in onion bags, bring them off the boat and put them in cages we have here.
“When the cages are full, we ring the local depot, Envirobank West Gosford, and they come and empty the cages.”
The McGrath Foundation is a cause with personal significance to Mrs Hayward and her family, who have run Holidays Afloat for 23 years.
“The reason we chose McGrath Foundation is because I am a survivor of breast cancer. I had breast cancer 20 years ago and went through my journey around the time that McGrath started.
“Back then, breast care nurses weren’t a thing.
“It’s just fantastic that with Return and Earn people can donate the funds and it goes to a good cause.
“Even if it is only a few cans at a time per houseboat, it obviously all adds up to a substantial donation over time. “
Holiday Afloat guests are reminded to separate Return and Earn containers in the manuals on board the houseboats and by signage on the collection cage on the wharf at Brooklyn.
“It is very well received by customers,” Mrs Hayward said. “The river is kept clean, we’re raising money for charity and not just throwing containers in the general rubbish and having to pay for it to be taken away by the garbos.
“It is being put to good use, which is a win-win all round.”
Having raised such a significant sum for the McGrath Foundation, the business now plans to support another worthy cause with their future container refunds: The North Foundation’s Support the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Royal North Shore Hospital.
Narelle Anderson, from Envirobank West Gosford, said they were proud to be part of a community that genuinely cares about giving back.
“Customers like Holidays Afloat demonstrate how a simple act, such as returning eligible containers, can create a lasting positive impact when the refunds are donated to charities.
“It’s incredibly rewarding to see local businesses supporting important causes, and we’re honoured to play a role in helping those contributions reach organisations that need them the most.”
