Meet the clean-up crew
When graffiti is a problem in your suburb, who are you going to call?
Every Tuesday morning, rain permitting, a small but determined group of retirees in high-vis vests sets out across Sydney’s northern suburbs.
Armed with brushes, rollers, and water blasters, they form a mobile front line in the war against graffiti. At the heart of this crew is Roger Norman, a retiree who has been running the Turramurra Rotary Club Graffiti Removal Project since 2008.
For nearly two decades, he and his team have quietly transformed vandalised walls, fences, and public infrastructure into clean canvases.
“I got sick of looking at graffiti,” Roger says. “When I retired, I wanted to do something hands-on. So, I joined Rotary and started this project.
“We’ve been going out every week since – unless it’s raining or there’s simply no graffiti to remove, which thankfully is happening more often these days.”
Their signature trailer – custom-built and sponsored by Bendigo Bank – is a mobile toolkit. It carries 300 litres of water, solvents, paint, and painting supplies and is a well-known sight in local streets.
From electrical boxes to traffic light control panels and Australia Post mail lockers, the team takes care of the places most prone to graffiti.
“The key is to act fast,” Roger says. “We aim to remove it within a week. That discourages repeat offenders because they don’t get the satisfaction of seeing their tag linger.”
It’s not just about cleaning up. There’s psychology at play here, too. “Graffiti spreads when others see it – it’s like a calling card. If you get rid of it quickly, that chain reaction is broken.”
Most of their work is on public infrastructure, which is where most graffiti occur, but Roger notes that his small team will also remove tags from private property with the owner’s consent.
Dulux has been a major supporter from the start, providing paint and materials through its community donation program. The project has also had strong backing from Ku-ring-gai Council, which supplies and services their industrial water blaster.
While the project has clear visual benefits, it’s also been a social and personal success for the Rotary members.
“You get to know people in your club better, you get some exercise, and of course, we always stop for coffee afterward,” Roger says.
At one point, Roger visited 90 Rotary clubs across New South Wales to encourage them to start their own graffiti removal projects. About 20% took up the challenge, and while not all continue today, a few, including one run by the Windsor Rotary Club, are still going strong.
One particularly memorable initiative was Graffiti Removal Day, a state-wide program that ran for eight years, funded by the NSW Government and supported by Dulux.
“We coordinated efforts across the state. Paint and equipment were delivered to sites across New South Wales. It was a huge effort, but incredibly rewarding,” Roger recalls.
A change in government saw an end to that project, but Roger hopes it can be renewed both in NSW and across the country.
For Roger, the value of the project goes beyond the cleaner streets. “It gives you purpose. My advice to anyone retiring is: do something. Rotary’s great for that – not just meetings and fundraising, but real, practical work.”
At a time when public spaces are under constant pressure, this group of committed seniors is proving that small actions, repeated often, can make a visible difference.
