Schoolies broaden their horizons after Victor Harbor official events banned
Schoolies will spread across the state in coming weeks as bans on official events at Victor Harbor fail to quell their party spirit.
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Hundreds of Year 12 students will converge on Victor Harbor next month to celebrate Schoolies, despite SAPOL canning the official event in September.
But this year’s end of school celebrations are expected to be a “dispersed” event, with many young people also expected to head to other regional areas.
A SAPOL spokeswoman said a meeting was being held next week to discuss school leavers’ celebrations, and a comment could not be provided until that had been held.
Encounter Youth chief executive officer Nigel Knowles said the organisation, which usually runs the Victor Harbor Schoolies Festival, was working with the State Government to support a “dispersed Schoolies” this year.
“We’re anticipating that school leaver celebrations will still occur across the Fleurieu Peninsula, particularly Victor Harbor, but we also are anticipating that young people will celebrate across various state locations,” Mr Knowles said.
He said it was too early to name other regional areas young people would head to, as Encounter Youth was still collecting data from Year 12 students on their plans.
Mr Knowles stressed it was vital that all celebrations were planned with safety in mind.
“Think through strategies for if things don’t go to plan or don’t go well,” he said.
“Will you have phone coverage, quick access to emergency services if needed?”
SA Police Commissioner Grant Stevens announced in September that because of COVID, concerts or major events taking place at Schoolies “just simply can’t happen”.
Celebrations at Victor Harbor in previous years have typically attracted 6000 people.
Victor Harbor Holiday & Cabin Park owner Andrew Chapman said 600 school leavers were booked to stay at the park, on the weekend starting November 20.
He said this number was well down on the 1900 the park would normally host to meet COVID requirements, but that it would still “look like Schoolies for all intents and purposes”.
“Knowing that they are going to be here, we’re going to have St John on site, and all of the extra services that we would normally have on that particular weekend,” Mr Chapman said.
Goolwa Holiday & Caravan Park office manager Stacey Quinn said about 24 school leavers were booked to stay at the park, which was about half the number from other years.
She said security and COVID Marshals would be on site to keep everyone safe.
Marion Bay Caravan Park manager Wally Walker said this was the first year that the park would host school leavers.
“We have 85 coming here,” Mr Walker said.
He had heard about 50 students were also booked to stay in the Innes National Park.
Mr Walker said some locals were a little concerned about how the school leaver’s would behave, “just seeing what’s in the news and that”.
“We are going to put these guys on one side of the park, so they are by themselves,” he said.
“We will also have youth workers down here keeping an eye on things.”
The NRMA Victor Harbor Beachfront Holiday Park declined to comment.
St Mary’s College student Kate Woolford, 17, and her friends are heading to Victor.
“At the start of the year we were so determined to go, straightaway sorted out our group and accommodation. It was non-negotiable for us,” she said.
“We cannot wait. Heaps of people are still going down so hopefully we’ll be able to make new friends and memories.
“We are looking forward to getting away as friends and celebrating our achievements.”
