A kayaker has captured a shocking vision as he attempted to paddle through one of Australia’s most degraded rivers and collect trash.
Filmmaker Beau Miles has released a new video ‘BAD RIVER’ on his YouTube channel on Thursday, where he explored Australia’s sickest urban river, the Cooks River, located in the ‘glamorous and famously beautiful city of Sydney’.
“It’s also the largest paved, drained, leaky city in the country,” Miles added.
Filmmaker Beau Miles (pictured) captured a shocking vision of the garbage that has accumulated along Sydney’s Cooks River
“I really enjoyed the chance to be among the waste and see the state of the river first hand,” Mr Miles told the Daily Mail Australia.
Using his little red kayak, he decided to follow the entire 14 miles of the Cooks River.
The video shows Mr Miles approaching terrifying amounts of waste in the water.
“I don’t know where to start,” he says.
Using his little red kayak, he decided to trace the entire 14 miles of the Cooks River (pictured) and filmed the shocking amount of plastic waste he discovered
“I really enjoyed the chance to be among the waste and see the state of the river first hand,” Mr Miles told the Daily Mail Australia.
“It’s so damn bad… it’s interesting. Everyone in Sydney must see this.’
“That’s why it’s a bad river.”
Mr Miles says that while Sydney is famous for its harbour, Opera House and bridge, ‘such a view does not reveal cross-sectional life in the city, and perhaps the greatest insight of all…where disease resides.’
“A drain that was once a river… a catchment that represents the lives of nearly 600,000 people,” he continues.
“I’ll be honest, when I experience places like this… I see myself in ruin.”
The kayaker figured that if he hadn’t experienced the river himself, he would have been completely dependent on what others said about its health.
“I found it not only challenging, but shocking in terms of his poor health,” he said.
Miles said in the video that his discovery about the state of the river was “not only challenging, but also shocking in terms of his ill health.”
‘Since then I’ve shifted from wanting to see the wildest and most pristine places on Earth to the most degraded and sick.
‘This is a journey of ill health, sorrow and hope; putting the local saying to the test, ‘if you fall in, you dissolve’.’
During the trip, he collected $46.20 worth of bottles and a two dollar coin, all of which he donated to the Cooks River Alliance.
The video inspired some viewers to take immediate action against trash in their area.
“You’re a good man, Beau—you inspired me to go out after work tonight and clean up the country lane near my house,” someone commented.
After filling nearly a dozen bags of garbage (pictured), he collected $46.20 worth of bottles and a two dollar coin, all of which he donated to the Cooks River Alliance.
“Something I’ve done before and stopped out of frustration, but you’re right, we all need to show some love to our environment – if we don’t, then who?”
A second person stated, “So sincere! So many content creators make videos for the sake of views, likes and subscribers. Beau, your content inspires people to become a better version of themselves. Keep it up.’
‘Very inspiring. Love what you stand for, Beau,” said another.