Tidy Towns efforts earns St Mike’s beach Blue Flag status

For the first-time ever, St Michaels-on-Sea Beach has been awarded Blue Flag status – a milestone achievement driven by the passionate Tidy Towns Shelly to Margate team who had a vision to transform the once-neglected beach into a coastal gem.

Four years ago, St Mike’s was hardly a postcard-perfect spot. The parking area was strewn with chicken bones, broken glass bottles and stompies, and the beach facilities were repeatedly wrecked after rowdy weekends – leaving showers broken and toilets in a disgraceful state.

Fast forward to today, and St Mike’s is unrecognisable. Through years of hard work, sweat and persistence, the team has found a ‘special recipe’ that works – one built on daily commitment and teamwork.

The results have been remarkable. The beach proudly hosted the six-day Tidy Towns SA Surfing Championships in 2023, hailed as one of the best national events in a decade. The Saturday ParkRun, which starts and ends at St Mike’s, has also drawn glowing feedback from visitors.

And it hasn’t stopped there. The ripple effect of this recipe can be seen along the coast – at Lucien, Uvongo, Shelly Beach and Margate – where beaches are looking tip-top and well cared for.

The driving force behind this success is the dynamic group of local businesspeople steering the project: Reg and Christelle Horne, Marcus Bengsch, Scott Kvalsvig, Stephen Herbst and Chris Korsten.

“Our plan is to get Blue Flag status at Lucien, Uvongo and Shelly Beach next,” said an upbeat Herbst. “We’re working closely with the municipalities to get the problem areas fixed. It’s mostly small issues that can easily be sorted.”

Reg Horne said the secret lies in daily consistency. “There’s a list of things that get done every day – litter is collected, showers are scrubbed when slippery, and the ablution block is opened and closed daily. It’s fitted with a water tank to ensure there’s always water in season,” he explained.

The team’s efforts stretch beyond the main beach. They’ve adopted and maintain the area leading to Orange Rocks, keeping the large parking and braai area clean and well-groomed. They’ve also revamped the tidal pool and added a ‘baby pool’ from an existing old structure, making the space accessible for children, the elderly and wheelchair users. Chlorine is no longer used, allowing sea life to return naturally, and brand-new plumbing and showers have been installed.

“Tidy Towns is run as a business by a group of businesspeople,” said Horne. “Round Table handles our finances, and if something’s broken, it’s fixed immediately – the show must go on. We’ve built strong relationships with the municipality and the public, and without them, none of this would be possible.” Safety has also been a major focus. Horne commended Wolf Security, the Community Police Forum, and reservists for their ongoing support. Wolf has fitted cameras at the beach, monitors activity, and helps keep St Mike’s an alcohol-free zone over weekends.

“With the help of this fantastic cleaning team – who’ve become like family – the beach is spotless. We’ve not had one incident of theft since the project began,” said Horne proudly. He added that their Tidy Towns Mobile Clean Team has also truly changed the game.

What the Tidy Towns team has done exceptionally well is transform dull, neglected spaces into vibrant, colourful gardens, adding beauty to roadsides and beachfronts.

“It’s heart-warming to see children running barefoot, elderly and visitors enjoying the facilities,” said Horne.

Christelle said the Blue Flag win has ignited new energy within the team. “It’s motivated us to push for the same recognition at our other beaches,” she said. Bengsch added, “Four years ago, I never imagined this. Hard work and persistence have paid off. We didn’t just clean St Mike’s – we transformed it to international standards.”

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