Clean Up Australia Day 2026 Teaching Resources
Get your students ready for Clean Up Australia Day 2026 with printable worksheets, activities, crafts, and more teaching resources for primary teachers! This collection of resources was created by teachers to help students understand the importance of sustainability and the impact of rubbish on their community.
Curious about how to incorporate this event into your lesson plans or how to celebrate Schools Clean Up Day? Read on for a quick primer from our teacher team to maximise the success of your event.
What Is Clean Up Australia Day? A Kid-Friendly Definition
Let's start with a way to introduce your class to this important day with a kid-friendly explanation of Clean Up Australia Day.
Clean Up Australia Day is an annual event in which volunteers gather to clean up litter and other waste from Australia's beaches, parks and other public areas. The event was first held in 1990, and it is now one of the largest community-based environmental events in Australia.
Held every March, this sustainability-focused holiday has thousands of volunteers participating each year, including teachers and students from schools around the country. The goal of the event is to improve the health of the environment and raise awareness about the issue of litter and waste.
This makes it a perfect time to put real-world application to students' understanding of waste and sustainability topics! It's a chance to educate students about the importance of keeping the environment clean and the impact of litter on wildlife and the ecosystem.
When Is Clean Up Australia Day 2026?
Mark your calendars! Because it is always celebrated on the first Sunday of March, Clean Up Australia Day will be 1 March 2026.
When Is Schools Clean Up Day 2026?
Did you know there is a special day just for schools to take part in Clean Up Australia? Because the event is held on a Sunday each year, there is a school day dedicated to the efforts to ensure students and teachers can take part!
The organisers at Clean Up Australia have announced its dedicated Schools Clean Up Day will be Friday, 27 February 2026!
How to Participate in Clean Up Australia Day
Looking to go beyond in-class activities?
Schools can participate in Clean Up Australia Day by organising a clean-up event at a local park or beach or another community area near your school.
Students, staff and parents can all get involved, and everyone can work together to pick up litter and debris. If you register your clean-up event with Clean Up Australia, you'll receive materials and resources to assist with the event!
Organising your Class' Clean-Up Effort
If you haven't already, head straight to Clean Up Australia Day's official webpage. Register your school and order your pack, which includes bio bags for collecting rubbish and gloves for teachers/supervisors.
If your pack doesn't arrive in time, you can buy biodegradable garbage bags and biodegradable gloves at Biome. Don't forget to nominate yourself as the Site Supervisor.
What Your Students Will Need
Leading up to your event, chat with your students about appropriate protective clothing they'll need to wear. As you'll likely be going off the footpath, ensure they wear covered, closed shoes. As it's still summer, they'll also need to wear a wide-brimmed hat and plenty of sunscreen. They should also bring water bottles along with them (you could transport these in a plastic clothes basket).
What You'll Need to Take Part in Clean Up Australia Day as a Class
Prepare thoroughly by popping together a little kit of Clean Up Australia Day necessities. Here's a suggested list of items:
- A mobile phone in case of an emergency
- Tongs and heavy-duty gloves to remove sharp objects
- First aid kit and instructions
- Bins/skips for rubbish and recycling (contact your local council or clean up)
- Sunscreen and spare hats
- Antibacterial hand sanitiser
- A clipboard with extra Volunteer Registration Forms and copies of the Accident and Incident Report
- Risk Warning Poster and tape.
How to Get Your School Community Involved
Looking for volunteers to help with your Clean Up Australia Day event? Why not invite parents, grandparents and community members along? Extra adult hands can be very helpful in assisting kids in collecting rubbish and talking to them about the importance of what the day is all about.
Ask volunteers to arrive 15 or 20 minutes early for the event so that they can fill out a Volunteer Registration Form. Even if they're registered online, a paper form must be kept for every volunteer. It's also a great idea to hold an informal volunteer briefing to outline plans for the day and talk about general housekeeping rules!
What to Do After Your School Clean-Up Event
At the completion of your event, your role of Site Supervisor still requires a few more things!
- Return the Volunteer Registration Forms to Clean Up Australia no later than 1 month after your event has taken place.
- Complete and return the End of Clean Up Report (this helps the organisation to prepare an overall annual Rubbish Report).
- Organise certificates for your volunteers.
- Print and present your school’s certificate!
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What Would Happen If...? Environmental Impact Task Cards
Predict and identify the effects of environmental change on plants and animals with a set of printable science task cards.
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Rubbish Bin Sorting Activity
Learn about recycling, composting and sustainable practices for waste management with a fun sorting activity.
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What Can We Recycle? Cut and Paste Worksheet
Remember what to recycle with a cut-and-paste worksheet.
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How Can We Help Our Planet Mini Book
Help your students learn about how to keep our planet clean with a printable Earth Day book.
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Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Rethink and Repair - Brainstorming Sheets
Brainstorm All the Ways to Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle with a pack of printable brainstorming worksheets.
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Ways to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint – Poster and Worksheet
Explore how to reduce your carbon footprint with this poster and accompanying comprehension worksheet.
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Reduce, Reuse, Recycle - Environmental Word Wall
Help your students learn about recycling and conservation with an illustrated word wall.
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What Can Be Recycled? Poster
A poster showing the products that can be recycled.
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Oil Spill Science Experiment for Water Pollution
Investigate a man-made natural disaster and discover the effects of oil spills on wildlife with an oil spill science experiment.
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The Recycling Process Poster
Show your students the process materials go through when they are recycled with printable recycling posters.
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Rubbish Bin Posters - Rubbish, Recycling and Compost
Posters outlining what can be put in the different types of bins.
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Recycling Craft - We Recycle Because...
Write about why we recycle and create this recycling craft to display in the classroom.
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Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Flipbooks
Display different ways to conserve resources with a set of handy recycling–based foldable interactive notebook templates.
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Save the Planet - Kids Mini Book
Teach your students to reduce, reuse, and recycle with a printable Save the Planet kid's book.
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Recycling Poster Pack
Use our Recycling Poster pack to teach your students about sustainability and conservation.
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Recycling Posters -Signs for Recycle Bins
Teach your students how to recycle in the classroom with signs for recycle bins.
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