Jason Cunningham, Leopold: 2026 Tidy Towns Litter Finalist
Most mornings, before Leopold wakes up, one man is already out walking 5 to 15 kilometres collecting other people's rubbish.
Jason Cunningham started walking in 2023 on medical advice, to strengthen his back and manage a chronic health condition. What began as rehabilitation became something else once he noticed the litter piling up along his route. Now, most days weather and health permitting, he covers the Bellarine Highway, shopping strips and sports grounds in the quiet hours before the town's daily rush, filling 7 to 10 heavy-duty rubbish bags each round and reporting graffiti and hazards to local authorities along the way.
He didn't set out to be recognised for it. Jason has no idea he's a Tidy Towns finalist, and by all accounts would be embarrassed to know. Locals now stop him during his walks to say thank you, a Facebook page tracking his work has built its own small following, and in 2025 he was awarded the Lions Club's Alan J Holding Memorial Community Services Award and invited to join as a member.
What Leopold has learned from Jason is unglamorous but true: meaningful change doesn't need a budget or a campaign, just one person who keeps showing up.
The X-factor is his humility. He'd rather you didn't notice him at all, which is exactly why so many people have.
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