I’ve been wanting to host a CITO to clean up the Eerste River for a while now, and after attending my last Geocaching event in Stellenbosch hosted by Cachetiaan, I realised there’s no better time than now—and certainly before the winter rains wash more rubbish away to our oceans! This is an open invitation to come spend a morning giving back to one of Stellenbosch’s most important natural spaces, alongside fellow geocachers and nature-lovers.
The Eerste River flows right through the heart of Stellenbosch and plays a vital role in the local ecosystem, agriculture, and community life. Sadly, rubbish that ends up in the river doesn’t just stay there—it breaks down into microplastics, harms birds and aquatic life, blocks water flow, and eventually makes its way to the ocean. By removing waste from the riverbanks, we’re helping protect water quality, wildlife, and the overall health of this beautiful river system.
We will start opposite the Coetzenburg Athletics Stadium and work our way downstream along the riverbanks, collecting rubbish as we go. It will be an out and back walk, so we will congregate at the listed coordinates again at 09:15. Bin bags will be provided. Please bring your own gloves and tongs if you have them. If you have an extra pair of gloves or an extra tong, feel free to bring them along in case someone else needs one. We will not be walking in the river itself, only along the banks, so gumboots are not essential, but walking shoes are highly recommended .
📅 Date: Saturday, 28 February
⏰ Time: 08:00 for an 08:15 start
⏱️ Finish: We aim to wrap up the clean-up walk by 09:15, followed by a relaxed final get-together with photos and chats until about 09:30.
Come for the CITO, stay for the good company, and leave knowing you’ve made a real difference!
Hope to see you there!