Queensland Schoolies have wrapped up celebrations on the Gold Coast with authorities praising them for their behaviour.
Around 20,000 school leavers have partied on the Glitter Strip over the last week with many taking the chance to let their hair down one last time on Friday night.
Paramedics report some Schoolies ‘went hard’ last night with 46 people assessed.
Of those, 11 were taken to hospital for further treatment.
Over the week a total of 446 people were seen by paramedics with 46 ending up in hospital.
“We found that intoxication was up a little bit over the week. There was some drug involvement but not too much which was really pleasing to see,” Dion Marr from Queensland Ambulance said.
Police have arrested 165 people on 240 charges since last Friday but only 53 of those were Schoolies.
Acting Chief Superintendent Rhys Wildman says Toolies have been more of a problem this year.
“I actually just want to congratulate our class of 2022. What we have seen is whilst police have made a number of arrests…we’ve seen a vast change in those arrests with our non-school leavers being the focus of our policing operations, unfortunately,” Acting Chief Supt Wildman said.
“The vast majority of those offences relate to street-related matters and a small number of drug offences.”
Officers issued 93 infringement notices over the last week but only 35 of those were handed out to Schoolies.
Police performed 1211 ‘tip-outs’ and issued 18 fines to people with alcohol in public, seven of those to Schoolies.
A total of 918 people were ‘wanded’ in the safe night precincts with 32 people arrested on 42 charges.
Seven weapons were also located however, none of those involved any Schoolies.
“Another big tick for our school leavers in that regard, and that just reinforces, again, our policing operations in keeping our school leavers safe.”
Police have also been cracking down on e-scooters in the last week, intercepting 439 people with 18 fines issued, seven of those to Schoolies.
As Queensland Schoolies head home to recover, a cohort of school leavers from New South Wales and Victoria will start arriving today.
Police warn they will still be out in force despite there being no official Schoolies events in Surfers Paradise.
“We’re still having a very robust policing operation for the coming week at all hours of the day and night, to make sure that everyone is safe who visits and uses our Safe Night Precincts here on the coast.
“Most of the school leavers coming up are 18, so obviously they’ll be using the nightclubs and bars and that will be a focus of our policing operation.”
