The Moreton Bay EEC team were privileged to have Ian and Annika Thomson (founders of Ocean Crusaders) showcase their Automatic River Cleaner (ARC) to special guests on-board Inspiration in early February.
The ARC has been undergoing trials for the past six months in the Brisbane River with stunning results. The device uses both hydro and solar power to turn a conveyor belt that lifts the debris up out of the water and places it into a skip bin ready for removal.
As the tide runs out, the wheel will free flow and that drives the conveyor belt. That is assisted by a water pump to keep the wheel turning even if there is no tide and there is a switching system that will turn the pump off when the tide is incoming.
This is innovation at its best … collaborative partnerships working to reduce the amount of debris in the waterways for a cleaner Moreton Bay and beyond.