Residents of Moree are being challenged to brush up their creative skills for this year's Graffiti Removal Day.
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Local Graffiti Removal Day co-ordinator Steve Harris said preventing graffiti is the focus for this year's event on Sunday, October 27.
"Graffiti vandalism costs NSW over $300 million each year which is money that could be spent on programs to help people impacted by the drought." he Harris said.
"Since the event started in 2012 volunteers have removed more than 141,000sqm of graffiti, saving the community $10.4 million.
"This year our focus is on not only removing ugly graffiti but also encouraging community groups to come up with creative and fun ideas to remove graffiti and stop it coming back."
Ideas such as murals, planting trees and educating people to report graffiti are some ways to prevent it coming back, but local communities are also encouraged to provide ideas.
Graffiti Removal Day organisers are running a competition this year to find the best mural in NSW with a first prize of $1,000.
Members of the Moree Rotary Club and Moree Plains Shire Council will join local community volunteers to remove graffiti from sites throughout Moree, and are challenging other people to get involved.
Graffiti Removal Day ambassador and football legend Mark Geyer OAM congratulated the volunteers and threw his support behind the event.
"Graffiti Removal Day is great way people can show they love where they live and it is great to see so many of our youth involved," he said.
"This year's focus on encouraging people to come up with fun ideas to prevent vandalism at regularly targeted sites is a great opportunity for community groups to display their creative flair while removing ugly graffiti."
"I would encourage everyone to get involved in this great community event."
Up to 3000 volunteers from various groups including Rotary, Scouts NSW, Girl Guides NSW and ACT, Air Force Cadets, PCYC, NSW Police, Lions, church groups, high schools and 80 councils are expected to remove graffiti from over 600 sites across NSW on Sunday, October 27.
All material and equipment required for Graffiti Removal Day is supplied to volunteers for free by sponsors Dulux, NSW Government, Australian Rail Track Corporation and Southern Cleaning Supplies.
People can volunteer, suggest an idea, find out more about the mural competition or nominate a clean-up site by going to the website www.graffitiremovalday.org.au.
