Schoolies week

I don't know when or how the practice of Schoolies week arose but in what seems a comparatively short time the concept has evolved into a massive 'tradition'. This so called 'week' sees thousands of young school leavers gathering in key resort areas around Australia to celebrate the completion of their final examinations, the end of high school and the start of the rest of their lives. There even is an official website for the activity.

I never heard of the activity when I completed school all of 46 years ago. Even if the activity did exist then there is no way I could have participated. My parents could not have afforded the cost. I could not have afforded the cost. Most crucially, I completed school at 16 - I was a very naive 16 - and there is no way my parents would have permitted me to participate anyway.

I'm sure the vast majority of the 'schoolies' behave themselves on this week away but the headlines are dominated by the minority to behave raucously and who are portrayed as alcohol and drug driven in their behaviour. Some end up in public melees, occasionally some are badly injured following foolhardy behaviour and some, sadly, even lose their lives as have three young males this year who died driving to one of these events.

This year's event commenced last weekend. The main site for 'schoolies' seems to be Queensland's Gold Coast which relies so much on tourism and holiday makers. Most adults would avoid that location for the period. The Sunshine Coast where I spent the weekend attending a wedding is a lesser venue for 'schoolies'. There were 'schoolies' in evidence there and most were quiet and unobtrusive.

However there was a 'schoolies' group renting the house next to that in which some of my friends also visiting for the wedding stayed. My friends report that they were kept awake the first night by loud music and even louder behaviour by those 'schoolies'. The Police attended and there was a noisy clash between them and the 'schoolies'. The next morning the disturbances resumed until my friends complained. On the second night, the night of the wedding reception, I drove my friends back to their house arriving there around 12.45am to find the Police once again in attendance, rubbish and empty beer bottles scattered across the street and a few 'schoolies' sitting forlornly in the gutters. Later we heard that the house the 'schoolies' were renting had been 'trashed'.

Thankfully it is only a minority but this lack of consideration for others and for other peoples' property is disappointing.