The gatherings, counts and celebrations where people who love the wild find each other. Come along, bring a friend, and say hello.

Volunteers sorting and counting marine debris at a cleanup table
Cleanup sorting table. Photo: Renee Mouritz.
A swimmer diving into Giles Baths rock pool, Coogee
A dive into Giles Baths, Coogee. Photo: Oliver Strewe.
A microlight leading a flock of young northern bald ibises through the evening sky over Spain
Two foster mothers and a microlight lead young ibises to Spain. Photo: Waldrappteam Conservation and Research.
A single kite pulling the WindSled and its team across the Antarctic ice
One kite, four people and no fuel: the WindSled crossing Antarctica. Photo: Inuit WindSled project.
Marine debris gathered on Greta Beach, tallied by cleanup volunteers
Greta Beach cleanup. Photo: Renee Mouritz.
A roadside sign with a red crab reading I am worth saving, drive slowly, on Christmas Island
A whole island slows down for its red crabs. Photo: Nicole McMahon.

Stories of people together

A Sunday at Woytopia, and the plates that came backA Sunday at Woytopia, and the plates that came backAvalon gathers at first light, and nature does the restAvalon gathers at first light, and nature does the restForty years on, and the best of it was the peopleForty years on, and the best of it was the peopleThe walk that Year 10 builtThe walk that Year 10 builtThe reef where the fish danceThe reef where the fish danceIn Lismore the rainforest is coming back to the river, and you can help plant itIn Lismore the rainforest is coming back to the river, and you can help plant itTwice a week, a grocer's leftovers go up the hill to Dural's wildlifeTwice a week, a grocer's leftovers go up the hill to Dural's wildlifeGood company, above the water and belowGood company, above the water and belowEleven coral nurseries, one morning, and the whole island turns upEleven coral nurseries, one morning, and the whole island turns upSharks, whales and teddy bears over the surf: Festival of the WindsSharks, whales and teddy bears over the surf: Festival of the WindsA bike bus is a school run with a playlistA bike bus is a school run with a playlistTwo nights in a cabin, and nobody can tell whose grandchildren are whoseTwo nights in a cabin, and nobody can tell whose grandchildren are whoseTwenty kites, four people and no fuel: a sled sets out across AntarcticaTwenty kites, four people and no fuel: a sled sets out across AntarcticaHead, heart and hands: Kit Shepherd's seventeen years of growing with Transition BondiHead, heart and hands: Kit Shepherd's seventeen years of growing with Transition BondiAustralian Native Food Festival at CarriageworksAustralian Native Food Festival at Carriageworks

Gatherings to join

Happening now

Australia wide, 6 to 15 November 2026

FrogID Week

Ten nights of listening. Record thirty seconds of croaking with the Australian Museum’s free FrogID app and experts identify every frog in the chorus. Australia’s frogs are counted one damp evening at a time, and your backyard counts.

Get involved: 6 to 15 November 2026, with the free FrogID app.

This week

UNSW Kensington, Sydney, Wednesday 11 November 2026, 7pm to 8:30pm

Oceans of Hope

An evening of talks and conversation about protecting Australia’s oceans. David Ritter of Greenpeace Australia Pacific shares how Australia could have the best protected oceans in the world, Torres Strait Islander filmmaker Aaron Fa’Aoso shares stories from the Torres Strait, and Rebecca Huntley hosts, with Kal Glanznig, Australia’s Youth Ocean Advocate for COP31, joining by video. We will be there, come and say hello.

Get involved: Free, register through the UNSW Centre for Ideas. In person only, at the Science Theatre.

Coming up

Australia wide, 7 to 13 December 2026

Coastcare Week

A week to celebrate the volunteers who care for our beaches, dunes and estuaries, with cleanups, dune plantings and rockpool rambles all around the coast.

Get involved: 7 to 13 December 2026, find a local event through Landcare Australia.

Any weekend

Your nearest beach

Beach Cleanups Near You

There are more beach cleanups happening than anyone could list, so here are the doors that know the nearest one. Adopt a Beach lets you take a stretch of coast under your wing and care for it visit after visit. Clean Up Australia’s map runs all year round. Take 3 for the Sea needs no event at all: three pieces in your pocket on the way off the sand, done. And Tangaroa Blue’s event calendar lists the cleanups that turn every piece collected into data.

Get involved: Read our story: our founder’s Tangaroa Blue week, The reef where the fish dance.

Every week

Byron Bay, New South Wales

The Byron Markets

Three markets, all run by the Byron Community Centre, which is a not for profit, so what you spend stays in the town. Thursday mornings are for the farmers, straight from the growers. The first Sunday of the month brings the big Community Market to the heart of town, around Railway Park. And the Twilight Market takes over Railway Park on Saturday evenings, the one for anybody who likes meeting the person who made the thing.

Get involved: Farmers Market, Thursday mornings until 11am. Community Market, first Sunday of the month, 8am to 3pm, next on 6 December. Twilight Market, Saturdays 4pm to 9pm at Railway Park, through April 2027.

Through 2026

Lamington National Park, Queensland

O’Reilly’s Centenary Year

One family has been on Green Mountains since 1926, and this year marks the hundredth. Walk Australia’s first treetop walkway, nine suspension bridges strung sixteen metres up in Gondwana forest, then come down to a timeline of a century on the mountain. Billy tea and damper on the guest house lawn every weekend, and free.

Get involved: The timeline and heritage walk are free and open daily. Billy tea and damper, Saturdays and Sundays 10am to 12:30pm, no bookings needed. Bird Week runs 1 to 8 November.

Your own suburb

Most councils

Local Bushcare Mornings

Most councils run volunteer mornings restoring local bushland, a couple of hours of weeding and planting with people who love the same patch you do, tea provided.

Get involved: Search your council’s name with the word Bushcare.

Any day

Everywhere

iNaturalist and Citizen Science

Photograph a fish, a fungus or a flower and add it to the world’s living database. Every record helps science see nature a little more clearly, and bioblitz events make it a party.

Get involved: The iNaturalist app is free, and addictive in the best way.

Coming up in 2027

Around the world, Tuesday 2 February 2027

World Wetlands Day

Wetlands filter our water, shelter our birds and soak up floods. Local groups host walks, plantings and bird counts around the day.

Get involved: Tuesday 2 February 2027, watch for events from your council and Conservation Volunteers Australia.

Coming up in 2027

Australia wide, the first Sunday in March

Clean Up Australia Day

The biggest community cleanup in the country. Register a site, or join one near you, and spend a morning with neighbours making a favourite place shine.

Get involved: Through Clean Up Australia, the first Sunday in March 2027.

Coming up in 2027

Australia wide, late July

National Tree Day

Communities plant hundreds of thousands of native trees and shrubs in a single weekend. Digging holes with strangers is a surprisingly good way to make friends.

Get involved: Run by Planet Ark, the last Sunday in July.

Coming up in 2027

Australia wide, early August

Landcare Week

A whole week celebrating the volunteers who care for Australia’s land, creeks and coasts, with local events, plantings and open days everywhere.

Get involved: The first week of August, find a local event through Landcare Australia.

Coming up in 2027

Australia wide, August

National Science Week

Thousands of events across the country, and the nature ones are the loveliest: guided spotlight walks, rockpool rambles, citizen science nights and talks by people who love what they study.

Get involved: Browse the event map at scienceweek.net.au.

Coming up in 2027

Australia wide, October

Aussie Backyard Bird Count

One week each spring, hundreds of thousands of people spend twenty minutes counting the birds around them. Science, done from your favourite chair outside.

Get involved: Run by BirdLife Australia during National Bird Week in October.

Know a gathering, a count or a celebration we should add? Email earthtoseanews@gmail.com and help this page grow.

The cleanup photographs are by Renee Mouritz. The crab sign is by Nicole McMahon. The WindSled photograph is by the Inuit WindSled project. The ibis flight is by Waldrappteam Conservation and Research, and the Giles Baths dive is by Oliver Strewe, gifted to Earth to Sea News.