Local litter hero joins environmental feature film

STREAMLINE Media unearthed an enterprising and tenacious local litter hero when they went looking for “BayStars” as part of their innovative “Connecting your Bay” project.

Cassidy Connor, a 13-year-old high school student and environmental advocate, was one of 40 applicants who submitted short film entries into the BayStar competition.

Each was hoping to be chosen as one of the four stars to be featured in a suite of educational short films focusing on the key issues Port Phillip faces into the future.

Streamline Media’s production manager Leia Howes said the team saw something very special in Cassidy.

Despite her young age she has harnessed her passion for the local environment, and her frustration with the litter crisis, to create a proactive grass-roots beach clean-up initiative “Beach Patrol Bellarine”, with a little help from her mum Brooke and brother Billy.

Aligning with the umbrella group “Beach Patrol”, Cassidy’s Bellarine team of committed youngsters aims to safeguard Port Phillip into the future by galvanising the local community to address the marine litter crisis through direct on-ground action.

Ms Howes said the “Connecting Your Bay” initiative, supported by the Port Phillip Bay Fund and Geelong Sustainability, aimed to provide a platform to showcase the amazing initiatives already actively futureproofing Port Phillip.

Cassidy and her initiative will be featured within the narrative of the litter film, alongside organisations such as Tangaroa Blue and the Bellarine Catchment Network who are fighting the litter crisis through litter reduction and prevention projects.

Cassidy’s segment was shot at Clifton Springs alongside founder of Tangaroa Blue Heidi Taylor, who has been the inspiration for young Cassidy to set up her local beach patrol.

Brooke said her daughter was extremely proud to be selected to feature in the films and was very excited to meet her environmental hero Heidi.

“And, of course, I’m very proud of her for showing initiative and commitment in starting up her group,” she said.

The suite of educational short films will be distributed throughout Victorian schools and the wider Port Phillip community.

If you would like to know more about Beach Patrol Bellarine, visit beachpatrol.com.au.