By Margaret Maccoll
FROM PAGE 1
Acting inspector Ben Carroll said there had been a change in the crowd Friday night with newcomers bringing in a different attitude from the week’s relatively well-behaved schoolies.
He said the situation could have been much worse had police not confiscated and poured out many litres of alcohol before it arrived on the beach. A mob can change in an instant, he said.
The week long management of the crowd was a tribute to the skilled work of police and the assistance provided by emergency and community services. It was a relief to all when it ended.
We don’t want it again, Inspector Carroll said. We’re too small for it.
Mayor Clare Stewart said the priorities across the week were keeping everyone safe and protecting property and the environment and managing the visitors involved a major collaboration across government, business and service organisations with many people working around the clock.
“All in all the kids were pretty well behaved,“ she said. “Going forward these large scale events are best suited for the Gold Coast. They have the infrastructure there. Every year we have people here for end of school celebrations but we are not set up for it.“Acting senior sergeant Troy Cavell said across the week schoolies behaviour had generally been good and the few noise complaints they received were no more than on any weekend.
On Friday night police arrested two schoolies and 5 non-schoolies (mostly locals) all for public nuisance, he said.
There was no reported damage and after some rubbish was left behind after last Saturday night’s celebrations most schoolies disposed of their rubbish properly with the incentive of receiving a free food voucher encouraging others to help clean up.
Acting sen sgt Cavell said the school leavers gathered at Main Beach in the evenings during the week, “like moths to a tennis court“ before returning to their accommodation.
“They were still in school mode,“ he said.
“We’d tell them that in half an hour we’re turning off the lights and closing the beach. We’d turn off the lights and they’d all go home. We thought, that’s easy.“
The school leavers themselves told Noosa Today they’d had a wonderful week in Noosa, loved the environment and wanted to return.
“We had the best time,“ one girl said. “It’s a lot nicer than the Gold Coast. We just caught up with friends and had fun.“
The school leavers said they spent their days going to the beach, hiking in the national park and visiting one another in their accommodation.
One group said they camped at Noosa North Shore and loved the “chilled“ atmosphere. “We just hope we’re not annoying people,“ they said.
