It was the kind of Southland morning that makes you feel alive.
Oreti is a place many Kiwis know for one reason: Burt Munro. The 30km stretch of sand he made famous is raw, rugged and iconic.
The cleanup was led by the Southern Coastal Charitable Trust, a group of hardworking volunteers who give up their time throughout the year to care for some of the most exposed and challenging beaches in the region.
They are not a large organisation. They do not have offices, paid staff or big budgets.
What they do have is passion and a deep sense of responsibility for the places many of us love visiting but rarely think to maintain.
My uncle, Jeff Walker, has been involved with the trust as chairman since 2017. When I heard about his long-standing involvement and learned more about the work the trust does, I felt inspired to offer a day to volunteer.
There is something incredibly rewarding about picking up each piece of rubbish, no matter how small, knowing it is no longer sitting in our natural environment. It gives you an instant sense of satisfaction and purpose.
At the heart of the trust is Joyce Kolk, who has spent years co-ordinating these efforts.
This was my first time working with Joyce, but it took only minutes to understand why people keep coming back. She leads from the front with sleeves rolled up, encouraging others and creating a sense of purpose that brings everyone together.
The trust runs beach cleanups a couple of times a year, often in remote or neglected areas, and still manages to gather a loyal team of volunteers ready to help.
As we spread out along Oreti Beach, what immediately stood out was how little rubbish there actually was. For such a large stretch of coastline, it was in far better condition than many would expect.
I was also impressed to see only one hooligan doing a few doughnuts in the sand. All things considered, the beach was in remarkable shape.
That is no accident. It is the result of the trust’s ongoing mahi and regular cleanups that prevent rubbish from accumulating and keep Oreti looking like the beach locals love.
We still found the usual items: a few bottles, bits of rope, a tyre tucked into the dunes and pieces of plastic clearly washed in from afar. But nothing overwhelming.
In many ways it was encouraging because it showed that consistent community care genuinely works.
Throughout the morning, the volunteers kept going steadily and without fuss. They are a humble group made up of locals who care deeply about this coastline and quietly put that care into action.
There is no spotlight and no headlines. It is simply genuine service to their community.
At one point a man approached me and asked a few questions about what we were doing. For a moment, I genuinely thought he assumed I was on periodic detention.
I told him I was just someone who cares about the environment and had driven down from Queenstown to help out. It was a reminder that anyone can step forward and make a difference, no matter where they come from.
Once we wrapped up and the tally came in at just over a tonne, the team fired up a barbecue.
It was a perfect Southland finish. No fuss and no pretence. It was simply good people enjoying a feed after some mahi.
Sitting there with a group of passionate, low-key, no-nonsense Southlanders who genuinely care about the environment reminded me what community looks like when the labels and noise fall away. These are people who simply get on with it.
New Zealand’s coastlines are among the most dramatic and precious in the world, but they do not stay pristine by chance.
It takes people like Joyce and the volunteers of the Southern Coastal Charitable Trust who give their weekends, put in the physical effort and take responsibility for the health of the coastline to keep them that way.
As I stood there afterwards, taking in the long stretch of sand and the wide Southland sky, I felt one thing above all else: gratitude.
Gratitude for the beach, yes, but even more so for the people who protect it.
We do not all need to turn up at 7am with gloves and a trailer, although the trust would welcome you.
Sometimes it is as simple as picking up the rubbish you see, teaching your children why it matters or supporting the groups doing this important work.
Joyce Kolk and the Southern Coastal Charitable Trust are not waiting for someone else to step up. They are already out there multiple times a year doing what needs to be done.
If there is one thing I took away from Oreti Beach that day, it is that, when committed locals come together, even small actions can have a big impact.
• Hamish Walker is a former National MP and director/salesman of Walker & Co Realty, Queenstown.
