Playgrounds, railways, private property and even war memorials have been subject to the mindless actions of petty criminals with too much time on their hands and little imagination.

You will remember we launched the Halt the Hoons campaign, a concerted effort to highlight the problem. And we certainly touched a raw nerve given the huge response.

However, sometimes as a newspaper you have to step beyond merely reporting the circumstances and be part of the solution.

That's why we are working with Wollongong City Council to stage and promote Clean-Up Illawarra community days.

We invite residents at Unanderra and Woonona to roll out next Saturday morning in a symbolic but important demonstration that communities do care how they are presented. Between 10am and noon, we'll give local parks the spit and polish they need to sparkle again (see page 9).

Yes, it's high time to reclaim our public places and keep the hoons at bay.

And another thing...

The sight of whales off our coast is inspiring stuff. They are a guaranteed crowd-pleaser with their gracefulness and playfulness. It is wonderful news that more whales are being spotted than for a long time, a strong indication that their stocks have replenished after an era of Japanese hunting. This gives even greater claim to the South Coast's position as one of the nation's premier tourist strips.