This weekend sees the start of the annual schoolies festival when thousands of school leavers hit Queensland's Gold Coast. Up to 35 000 are expected to attend and police will be out in force cracking down on out of control revellers. Superintendent Jim Keogh joins us on the show with more information.
What is Schoolies?
Schoolies is the phenomenon where tens of thousands of young people from across Australia choose to book their end of year holiday in a particular area - traditionally Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast, and in recent years at other Queensland locations.
When is Schoolies?
Traditionally each of the 3 Schoolies weeks in QLD attracts a different state of Year 12's so that each one parties with their own fellow students. Historically each state has attended schoolies as follows:
- Week 1: 21 November - 28 November, QLD Schoolies
- Week 2: 28 November - 6 December, NSW Schoolies
- Week 3: 5 December - 13 December, VIC Schoolies
Schoolies around Australia
- SA - Most high school leavers head to Victor Harbour from the 20th November
- WA - Rottnest Island is a popular spot for revellers during schoolies' festivities
- NSW - Hot spots include Byron Bay, Port Macquarie, Coffs Harbour and Tweed Heads
How many are expected to attend Gold Coast Schoolies?
Between 30,000 and 35,000 schoolies are estimated to visit the Gold Coast during Schoolies, incorporating school leavers from Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria.
What is being done about underage and excessive drinking?
The following are all illegal in Queensland:
- Selling alcohol to anyone under 18
- Providing alcohol to anyone under 18 on licensed premises, and supplying alcohol to anyone under 18 in a private place without providing adequate supervision. This includes parents buying alcohol for underage schoolies to consume in their accommodation. Fines of up to $8,000 apply
- Police and Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation investigators will be on the lookout for underage drinkers and adults illegally supplying alcohol to under 18s during Schoolies
- Parents are urged to talk to their teenager about responsible drinking and the harmful effects of binge drinking
- Parents should encourage their teenager to be safe and watch their mates, think before they drink and know their limitations
- Safer Schoolies activities are drug and alcohol-free. Schoolies who are intoxicated and/or displaying inappropriate behaviour will be refused access to the Schoolies Hub
What is being done to manage 'toolies'?
'Toolies' are past Year 12 students while 'foolies' are those yet to reach Year 12. Safer Schoolies activities are for graduating Year 12 students only. Parents are urged to discourage their teenagers from attending Schoolies if they are not a legitimate Year 12 graduate. Access to Safer Schoolies activities will require proof of Year 12 student photo ID.
Issues
- Overconsumption of alcohol (underage also)
- Decisions made while under the influence (e.g. swimming at night while drunk = huge risk)
- Drink driving
- Security (hotels, clubs etc)
- Rooms too full or overbooked against regulations
Facts and Statistics
- The Gold Coast continues to be the most popular Schoolies destination in Australia, hosting approximately 90 percent of school leavers in Queensland alone
- Approximately 45,640 students will complete their final Year 12 exams in Queensland in 2009
- Approximately 35,000 school leavers will attend Gold Coast Schoolies over the eight night program
- More than 1500 staff and volunteers will work on the coordinated safety response including more than
300 Schoolies Support Team volunteers who come from the Gold Coast community, 800 Red Frogs volunteers and 50 support service volunteers from community groups
- 1200 meals will be served to officials and crew
- 2500 cups of tea and coffee will be provided
- 2000 snacks will be provided to volunteers
- 2.2km of temporary fencing will be erected and dismantled each night to create the Schoolies Hub
- The Schoolies Hub has a capacity to hold between 18,000 and 22,000 schoolies, depending on tidal movements
- 120 accommodation venues on the Gold Coast will host schoolies visitors
- 10,000 free condoms will be distributed to schoolies on request
- More than 5500 hours of private security are rostered
- 185,000 cups will be used
- 10,000 bottles of water will be distributed
- 304 RACQ free2go bus routes will be completed to transport schoolies back to their accommodation during the community safety response
Activities
- Pub hopping
- Attending nightclubs
- Dance parties
- Music festivals or concerts
- Surfing
- General beach going (swimming, sunbaking)
- Social get togethers with variety of friends from all over Australia
- Shopping (markets, boutiques, malls)
- Theme parks (Dreamworld, White Water World etc)
- Dining (restaurants)
Tips for parents
No matter what teenagers decide to do to mark the end of their secondary schooling, there is important health and safety information they need to know. Parents are encouraged to talk to their teenager before they attend any Schoolies occasion.
Here are some suggestions for parents to help get the conversation started:
- Talk to your teenager about the importance of doing the right thing and being responsible for themselves and their mates
- Talk about how your teenager can stay safe and ensure they have a list of key contact numbers, know and understand their accommodation house rules, and know how to get around safely
- Ask for the contact numbers of the other young people staying in your teenager's accommodation, and more importantly their parents' contact numbers
- Try to speak to the parents of the young people your teenager is staying with to encourage open dialogue
- Establish a 'check-in with home' arrangement. It could be a quick phone call or even a text message so you know your teen is safe
- Establish a plan for 'checking-out'. Know how and when your teenager is coming home from Schoolies and encourage them to communicate this to their friends
- Talk to your teenager about what 'unsafe' means for both of you and let them know it's okay to come home early
- Talk to your teenager about the friends they are staying with - are they sensible and responsible friends who can read danger signs and will keep an eye out for each other?
- Remind your teenager to respect the people who live and work in the community where they are staying
- Be part of the growing trend of parents catching up with their teenager and friends during Schoolies, by meeting up for lunch or dinner, going shopping or doing a holiday activity together
For more information, visit www.schoolies.com.
