The annual event will be held on Sunday, March 4, and Wagga City Council’s environmental education officer Sam Parsell said planning is well under way.

The council is teaming up with Wagga Tidy Town Committee and the Wagga Urban Landcare Group to encourage residents to give their community some love – and a spruce up.

“Our community clean up site is located on Willans Hill this year,” Ms Parsell said.

“We’re meeting at 9am at the water tower on Captain Cook Drive. We encourage people to come along.”

Ms Parsell said clean up volunteers would be provided with bags for rubbish collection.

“All they need to do is bring enclosed shoes, sun protection, hat and a drink bottle if they want and some gloves,” she said.

“We’ll have a free barbecue available after all their hard work.”

Ms Parsell said Clean Up Australia Day, which was founded in 1989 by yachtsman Ian Kiernan, remained important.

“As you know, litter is a big problem in our community, so we’ve got to do everything we can to help keep Wagga beautiful,” she said.

The annual business clean up will be held on Tuesday, February 27, while the traditional schools clean up day will be on Friday, March 2.