Christmas has come early for Port Douglas-based marine health non-profit Tangaroa Blue, in the form of a $25,000 grant from the State Government’s Friends of Parks initiative.

The $500,000 initiative divided grants of between $5,000 and $25,000 to 31 not-for-profit community groups, to enhance volunteering and “voluntourism” in Queensland’s national parks.

“We applied for $25,000 through the Friends of Parks grant process and were stoked to hear that we had received the full funding,” said Tangaroa Blue Director and founder, Heidi Taylor.

Ms Taylor was recently awarded the Editor’s Award for Excellence at the 2013 Douglas Business Awards, for her hard work and dedication in the fight against marine debris.

“The grant money will be used to run an additional five clean up events in Far North Queensland during 2014, at Cape Kimberley, Snapper Island, Cedar Bay, Lizard Island and Captain Billy’s Landing up in Cape York,” she said.

“The events will be part of the Australian Marine Debris Initiative (ADMI) and include removal, recycling, data collection and creation of Source Reduction Plans to stop marine debris at the source before it enters the marine environment.”

Tangaroa Blue’s AMDI, a network of volunteers, communities, organisations, and agencies around the country, has worked with than 29,600 volunteers since Ms Taylor founded the foundation 10 years ago.

Successful grant applicants come from across Queensland, with 16 in the southeast, nine in the Great Barrier Reef region and seven across central and north Queensland. Approved projects will begin within three months and be delivered over 12 months. For more information about the Friends of Parks initiative and opportunities to volunteer for parks, visit www.nprsr.qld.gov.au/about/employment/volunteering/friends-of-parks.

The local charity was also chosen to partner American musician Jack Johnson, a long-time Tangaroa Blue supporter, on his ‘From Here to Now To You’ tour this month around Australia.

Tangaroa Blue will be hosting beach clean-ups in each city where Johnson will perform, with two concert tickets up for grabs at each clean-up, to be awarded to a lucky volunteer who helps out.

“We’re looking forward to teaming up with Jack Johnson again this year – and he’s matching donations we receive until the end of the year up to $2500US! All donations are tax deductible,” Ms Taylor said.

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