By Margaret Maccoll
About 5000 school leavers descended on Noosa over the weekend for their end of school celebrations and while emergency services prepared for any consequence the teens have proved to be reasonably well behaved.
Though the dumping of rubbish on Main Beach Saturday night led to it being shut and Nippers cancelled on Sunday morning while a clean up of rubbish and broken glass was completed.
Mayor Clare Stewart said about 20 additional bins had since been sited at the beach for rubbish.
“It is important that any visitors to our region respect the environment that we all hold so dear. It has been disappointing to see litter and glass left on the beach but I commend council staff and Queensland police for all their hard work in ensuring the beach is back to its pristine state as soon as possible,“ she said.
Police doubled their resources with mounted police, undercover agents and extra water police on duty for the Schoolies week. Red Frogs group were on hand to lend support to Schoolies, SES were ready for back up, Noosa Council officers provided a 24/7 surveillance and Noosa Surf Life Savers worked into the night to ensure water safety.
Schoolies, mostly from Brisbane with others from the Gold Coast, Ipswich and the Sunshine Coast decided Noosa was the place to be this year for their celebrations in a school year like no other.
Former Cannon Hill Anglican College student Nathan Langdon told Noosa Today it became the destination of choice for him and his friends for a number of reasons. It was a nice place to come, it was cheaper than the Gold Coast which had cancelled it’s usual organised schoolie events and it was where their friends were going.
Some students said it would have been nice for Noosa to have provided some entertainment but it wasn’t something they expected and they planned to make their own fun during the week.
A group of All Hallows and St Hilda’s students said they felt regarding COVID it was a safer destination than the Gold Coast, it had been easy to find accommodation at Noosa and they had already made new friends here.
Red Frogs spokesman Andy Gourley said the schoolie numbers in Noosa didn’t compared to the 23,000-strong crowds generally attending Surfers Paradise and their behaviour had changed considerably over the years.
“They’re more of a coffee and smashed avo set,“ he said. “There’s less alcohol. They look after each other more these days. But they’re definitely excited“
Mr Gourley praised the efforts of Noosa Council and emergency services and attributed their quick response to being accustomed to organising major events.“We’re very impressed with how the Council got on the front foot. It’s like a New Year’s Eve response,“ he said.
“Noosa Council staff have been working tirelessly over the last month with Queensland Police, Hastings Street Assocation, Red Frogs, Qld Ambulance and Tourism Noosa to assist with the influx of shoolies,“ Cr Stewart said.
A health team from Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Services were also set up on Hastings Street to provide care to any distressed schoolies.
Police maintained a highly visible presence across Noosa, non more so than mounted police officers sergeant Teala Muller and Idol and senior constable Amy Walkden and CJ.
“The horses are very popular. They’re like celebrities,“ Sgt Muller said.
Despite their magnificent appearance the very cool among crowds horses and their riders are an efficient police team, more than capable and equipped for all police enforcement.
Noosa Police officer-in-charge acting senior sergeant Troy Cavell was reasonably pleased with schoolies’ behaviour over the weekend.
A crowd of about 2500 gathered on Main Beach Saturday night.
“There were no assaults, no rapes, no evictions. That’s pretty good for that many,“ Snr Sgt Cavell said, with only a few “tickets“ given out for underage drinking and nuisance behaviour.
Schoolies travelled to the beach Saturday night in search of entertainment, but with none on offer, just milled around, some having snuck in a few drinks.
Lifesavers extended their watch into the night. On Saturday lifesavers Adam McKane and Vittoria Farmer were prepared to remain on watch as long as they were needed.
After midnight police made the decision to turn off the lights to the beach. Acting Snr Sgt Cavell said the schoolies left the beach within about 20 minutes.
We felt like parents turning the lights out, he said.
On Sunday night an even bigger crowd hit the beach. Police enforced zero alcohol laws, confiscating bottles of alcohol from about 200 people during the evening and the crowd dispersed about 1am with no major incident.
“We acknowledge that the year 12 cohort has had a tough hear and are entitled to let their hair down, but I would implore them to use a bin and clean up just as they would at home as well as be mindful and respectful of the many residents whom they may be staying near,“ Cr Stewart said.
