Schoolies bosses expect 20k teens
SCHOOLIES organisers are bracing for up to 20,000 teenagers to hit Surfers Paradise this weekend, despite mass cancellations from shut-out interstate graduates.
Festival volunteers Rosie’s and Drug ARM say they are preparing resources to meet pre-pandemic levels, and would have about 95 staff on the streets right across the week.
“Both locally and regionally, we are anticipating solid visitor numbers,” Rosie’s chief executive Jayne Shallcross said. Volunteers would support school-leavers at recharge zones, where partying teens could drop in for a rest and keep hydrated, she said.
“Some volunteers come out for just one night or will work the whole week.
“The most important thing is for us to give a helping hand wherever possible and offer a safe space for Schoolies students,” she said.
Schoolies is normally heavily supported by year 12 graduates making the pilgrimage from Sydney and Melbourne. But they have been shut out because the Queensland border is not expected to open properly until December 17. Their exemption was expected to have a telling effect on Schoolies numbers this year.
However, Schoolies.com chief executive Matt Lloyd said the Gold Coast was still the “No.1 destination for the festival” and booking levels were in line with 2019 numbers.
Established in 1987, Rosie’s has long been a Schoolies institution, looking out for the welfare of school-leavers visiting and staying in the Surfers Paradise precinct.
Drug ARM clinical and service development manager Richard Norman said the organisation was well prepared for the festival opening day on Saturday.
“All of our volunteers have undergone training and are orientated toward what takes place here at Schoolies and how to offer the best means of support,” he said.
While Drug ARM’s primary mode of community support was drug and alcohol-related, its presence at Schoolies would simply create a “safe space” for schoolies students, Mr Norman said.
“We won’t be providing drug and alcohol education per se, but would always emphasise the message that there’s no such thing as safe drug use.
“Obviously, if we see someone in trouble we will do everything we can to support them.”