A group of Real Journeys employees is being applauded by the Department of Conservation (DOC) for an impromptu environment cleanup at Lake Manapouri’s West Arm.

Launch skipper, Dallas McHardy, and crewman, Zeb Ridder, regularly ferry Meridian workers to West Arm and with several hour’s downtime before the return journey, the men decided they could put that time to good use by cleaning up the former construction site.

West Arm was the eastern accommodation and worksite during the original Manapouri Power project construction in the 1970s and later in the 1990s when the second tail-race was added.

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Mr McHardy said the area also gets a lot of use by boat users and hunters and trampers who often de-clutter at West Arm before heading over the lake.

DOC Senior Ranger Bio Diversity, Richard Kinsey, said he was only too happy to encourage the cleanup and covered the cost of a skip from his budget, while Real Journeys supplied the barge transport and covered the men’s wages.

They have discovered some interesting finds including bulldozer tracks, old power cables and even the remnants of a probable home brew still.

But the bulk of the rubbish was in the form of cans, bottles and plastic objects and they managed to fill a large skip and caged trailer.

Now that it has been cleaned up, the men plan to keep an eye on the area and keep it up to scratch.