Volunteers from Coastal Warriors Mid North Coast will be attending the clean up to remove plastics and rubbish from Lake Cathie from 8am to 11am on Saturday, February 2.

CWMNC president Addam Lockley said it often surprised people how much rubbish could be collected from picnic areas.

"It's the first one of the year and also our first time at Lake Cathie," he said.

"We never know how many people may come, might get 60 or 20 people usually average around 30 people.

"In picnic areas we'll find micro plastics, plastic bags, bread clips, cigarette butts... I think people get educated about how much rubbish there is around in plain sight.

"When 20 people come back from collecting with bags full of rubbish,  you think 'wow there's a lot of rubbish around'.

Mr Lockley said the event could be postponed if there was significant rain, otherwise it would go ahead.

"On average we are removing 1000 pieces of rubbish per clean up, by far the worst are cigarette butts" he said.

"I think there needs to be dedicated cigarette bins trialed, it would be interesting to see the effect on cigarette butt hot spots like Town Green, along the foreshore and in behind the community services building."

The group holds a clean up once a month, and has previously collected about two ute loads of rubbish from Flynns Beach in late 2017 during their best event.

Mr Lockley said residents looking to volunteer could attend on the day without notice and be provided with equipment.

"It's a good way to meet people, make friends and you can jump in for a swim after," he said.​