Cafes along the eastern Australian coast are cleaning up their local beaches the only way they know how — by offering caffeine-craving customers free coffee in exchange for a bucket of washed-up rubbish.

North Stradbroke Island business owner Jennie Truman is the latest to issue the challenge.

At her cafe The Blue Room, a bucket of rubbish can be exchanged for a cup of coffee, while at her other store, the Oceanic Gelati Bar, it can be swapped for a small scoop of gelato.

It started earlier this week and already it's proved popular with the locals, and the beach's benefitted as a result.

"The first day we had heaps in. We had one couple with enough for three cups of coffee," Ms Truman said.

"Our main beach, which is facing the south-east, collects everything that comes up from the south on a inshore north current. We've had big swells and tide over the summer period and there's a ridiculous amount of rubbish down there.

"I could fill a bucket in under five minutes, easy."

Ms Truman said plastic bottle lids were the most common items washing up.

"It's a bit assortment, heaps of toothbrushes, razors, thongs, broken plastic bottles, balloons with ribbons. A lot of random things," she said.

"We seem to catch things that are out in the shipping channel. A lot of it that's washing in has been floating around for quite a while."

Ms Truman said she was inspired to offer coffee for rubbish after seeing another cafe in Yeppoon in central Queensland doing the same thing a couple of months ago.

"I thought it was a great idea but at the time we didn't have much rubbish on the beach," she said.

"But then we got these big seas and swells, and there was so much there I thought 'I can run this little campaign and see how we go'.

"Imagine someone coming from France, seeing the beach and thinking, 'oh my God, this is like this all the time'."

"The lifeguards do a good job of cleaning it up. But I thought we'll see how it goes."

She's yet to advertise the offer in store — so far it's all been via social media and word of mouth.

"I think you're responsible for the area you're in. Be proud of your environment and proud to show it off and how we keep it," she said.

She hopes to see beach-side cafes take up the initiative, or anything similar to help keep their local area clean.

'Once you start to notice that stuff, you notice it everywhere'

Exchanging rubbish for coffee an interesting idea, but not unique.

Earlier this year, the Rubbish 4 Coffee Initiative ran in Sydney, with more than 15 cafes along the northern beaches signing up.

There have also been stories of cafes in New Zealand also running the same initiative.

Heidi Taylor, managing director for marine environment charity Tangaroa Blue, said it was a good way to get more people to notice the rubbish washing up on their local beaches.

"It's inventive to get people to change their behaviour," Ms Taylor said.

"Quite often you go to the beach and unless you're looking for rubbish you may not see it.

"So once you start to notice that stuff, you notice it everywhere."

Ms Taylor said cafes could take the idea one step further by using reusable coffee cups instead of single-use cups.

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The idea has also received plenty of positive feedback on social media:

"A wonderful gesture hope others follow suit." Dorothy Fewson

"What a great idea … something that involves the community and others whilst cleaning up our beaches!! Hope others follow suit!! Tahnee Magill

"Great incentive. Give the kids a hot chocolate and I'm sure you'll get the beach cleaned up." Fiona Green

"Yes this is a terrific idea. I've seen and also photographed the rubbish that washes up onto Stradbroke when the wind and the tides change and the amount is just staggering! They'll be giving a lot of free coffee away, if people take up this offer and we all should! Free coffee or not!" Jacqueline De Ceuster