Rip Curl team up to transform coast

Rip Curl employees have teamed with local community groups for the annual Rip Curl Planet Days, held since 2000.

The concept celebrates Rip Curl’s commitment to the environment by providing the necessary attention and resources for significant coastal management strategies on the Surf Coast.

Over two days the company commits the time of all staff from the Rip Curl International head office in Torquay.

Rip Curl CEO and Planet Day participant Stephan Kay shows his support of the company’s involvement.

“It really gives me a sense of achievement and pride to see the transformation of the coastal foreshore that’s occurred as a result of the efforts of our staff helping the volunteer community groups.

“I love seeing plants and regenerated sections of the coast that Rip Curl employees have worked on when I’m going for a surf or walking the cliffs,” Mr Kay said.

Under the guidance of local representatives from environmentally responsible groups, Rip Curl employees generally tackle any task that ensures the ongoing sustainability of strategic locations along the Surf Coast which could include:

• Planting trees
• Eradicating foreign species threatening local plants and
• Implementing water saving strategies.

The teams are guided by local representatives to work collectively on projects threatening the local coastal area including:

• The Surf Coast Shire
• The Great Ocean Road Coastal Committee (GORCC)
• Parks Victoria
• Surfers Appreciating the Natural Environment (SANE)
• Torquay and Jan Juc Coast Action groups and
• The state government Department of Sustainability & Environment.

Since Rip Curl initiated this annual community project in the year 2000, over 80,000 plants indigenous to the Surf Coast have been put in across the region between Point Impossible and Bells Beach/Southside.

Thanks to ongoing, year-round maintenance by the local groups, areas previously worked on have flourished, with a better than 80 per cent long-term plant survival rate.

Rip Curl Planet Day will be held on 25 & 26 October. For more information or to get involved contact Mark Flanagan on 03 5261 0176 or 0408 619 929, email mflanagan@ripcurl.com.au

Learn more about coastal environmental volunteering in our region.