Squirtle – a giant reminder for our environment

Central Highlands Water is committed to improving the health and environmental outcomes for the Maryborough and district community.

The giant turtle play equipment is a timeless reminder of the importance of protecting the environment for the next generation who will soon be enjoying Squirtle the Turtle at its new Maryborough home.

Squirtle’s shell once held single-use plastic bottle waste collected by school children in the Central Highlands region and represented the heavy weight and stress placed on the environment.

Central Highlands Water’s crusade is to reduce the amount of single-use plastic bottle waste. We can all do our part for the environment, make the sustainable choice and Choose Tap.

Choose Tap facts:

  • More than 50% of plastic bottles end up as landfill or litter.
  • In Australia, we spend more than 680 million a year on bottled water.
  • Over 90% of the cost of a bottle of water is for the bottle, lid and label.

Together we are focused on encouraging the community to make smart water choices and drinking tap water, leading to a healthy, environmentally friendly and low-cost lifestyle.

The recent improvements to the water treatment facility will ensure ‘good’ water quality, at all times and will meet the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines.

Council is committed to reducing our community’s waste to landfill, specifically single-use plastics which cause so much damage to our environment, which is outlined in our Waste Management Strategy.

“I have no doubt Squirtle the Turtle will provide many hours of joy to children for years to come while serving as an all-important reminder about the importance of being more sustainable and caring for our environment,” Central Goldfields Shire Chief Administrator Noel Harvey said.

/Public Release. View in full here.