Live from inside the Schoolies party zone in bustling Surfers Paradise
A fly-on-the-wall diary inside the midst of Surfers Paradise where thousands of partying teens celebrating the end of secondary school are living it up. LIVE DIARY, PHOTOS
Gold Coast
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It’s 2pm on Tuesday - and Cavill Mall in the midst of Surfers Paradise is Schoolies central.
With the sun beating down, a subdued crowd of schoolies mingle with families and tourists, chasing Maccas frozen Cokes. Most seem to be heading for the beach – plenty with acai cups in hand.
The Bulletin entered the fray for a night to take the pulse of Surfers Paradise with thousands of school-leavers celebrating their graduation.
3.30pm
Queues of schoolies stretch outside the newly-revamped Paradise Centre for airbrush tattoos. Another stretches inside for piercings to mark the week of freedom (literally).
One group in the Unicorn piercing parlour queue says they are actually getting “tooth gems” – diamantés for their teeth – but they have booked for tattoos at Off Ya Tree later in the week.
We check bookings at Off Ya Tree, a staff members says their artists are “fully booked” for the rest of the day.
3.50pm
We meet Melbourne graduates Max Munro, Lachlan Sayer, Jack McAuliffe and Romi Gould who are doing their own thing for Schoolies.
“We’re in a big house with 16 of us and we’re all just chilling, sleeping, having a good time, it’s just a holiday with freedom,” said aspiring special education teacher Lachlan Sayer, who has a bright yellow beer helmet on his head and moon boot.
“I think the other thing is though we have other options in Victoria but we’re just so sick of being locked down, we just wanted to get out of there.”
The group had booked an Airbnb in Pimpama for Schoolies, using Uber and the light rail to get to the “wild beach parties” throughout the week.
4pm
Screams from a nearby Mantra hotel tower, good screams. The balcony parties are beginning.
4.06pm
Schoolies are stocking up for the night ahead.
Some carry bags of groceries while others balance cartons of Cruisers on their way back to their hotel rooms.
4.25pm
Cavill Ave is pretty dead. It still feels pretty mellow – unclear whether it’s because of the heat or we are entering the second week of Schoolies.
That said, there is still the odd Hawaiian shirt-wearing schoolie asking police for a selfie.
4.30pm
Volunteers sit in a tent threading beads into bracelets as they wait for the night ahead.
5.30pm
Cavill Mall is pretty quiet.
6.30pm
Now it’s picking up. Plenty of schoolies out either looking for dinner or heading for their night out.
6.57pm
Two young men get stopped and searched where Cavill Mall meets the Esplanade, in front of Maccas. Unclear if police found anything.
7pm
Three friends from Redland Bay who are under the Surfers Paradise sign say it’s living up to their expectations.
“We’re loving the security, it’s a really great atmosphere also,” said 17 year old Marshall Law.
“Everyone’s getting searched and it makes us feel really safe. We’re loving the sense of celebration.”
7.07pm
Schoolie in Hawaiian garb orders a drink at Kitty O’Shea’s.
7.14pm
Police presence heightens as cops move into formation.
7.18pm
Tourists are snapping pictures with schoolies, as though they are an attraction.
Meanwhile, religious groups file into the Mall with sights reading ‘Jesus is King’ and ‘Free Healing’.
7.23pm
First banana costume sighting, four male schoolies ‘bananas’ are hitting the beach for the night.
7.32pm
Hare Krishnas arrive with drums and fanfare. As more schoolies file in, the bigger the street party grows. By 7.35pm the group has doubled if not tripled in size with Schoolies joining for a dance and to chant along with them.
Security at Big Adam bar tell the Bulletin the religious group is usually half the size it is during Schoolies.
7.41pm
After leaving the Hare Kricshan dance circle, a group of boys’ drinks are poured out by police.
7.54pm
Schoolies take part in ‘healing’ from strangers.
7.55pm
Ipswich 17 year olds Blaze Turner, and Rohan Weier say they have had a fantastic time except for run-ins with a few toolies.
“Toolies have been offering us (schoolies) drugs at Cavill Ave when they walk passed,” Blaze said.
“When it gets later in the night they go to the backways to target schoolies to sell drugs, even in front of red frogs.”
But the boys said they feel very safe with the police and volunteers around.
8.18pm
Gold Coast MP Meaghan Scanlon arrived in the volunteer hub to check in and present certificates and thank volunteers for making Schoolies a “safe and enjoyable experience”.
She said though there was a Safer Schoolies Response when she did Schoolies 12 years ago it has changed significantly for the better since.
“It is what it is because of the people who give up their time,” she said before presenting the certificates.
Including one to 90 year old Rita Bell, who has had a storeyed career in the British and New Zealand air force and says volunteering keeps her young.
“It keeps your mind active, and I really love it,” she said.
“My family think I’m crazy, they say ‘you should be retired’ but I say never. Not until He (God) decides to take me.”
9.04pm
Lachlan Kemp draws a crowd under the Surfers Paradise sign for a singalong – he claims he can play any song anyone requests.
9.14pm
The Silent Disco is well underway on the main stage in front of Cavill Ave.
Hundreds of schoolies jump and sing along to music that no one but them and the other headphone-wearing party goers can hear.
They are tuned into three channels – blue, red and green – one for each DJ spinning a separate playlist.
‘Blue’ DJ Melt said the unique party would give non-schoolies and locals a break from the thumping music that has rocked the party precinct since Saturday night.
And although he was unsure how they would feel about schoolies singing “out of tune”, he said the party was “awesome” to see.
“They (schoolies) may be listening to different music, but they’re still dancing together and having a good time,” he said.
While he and fellow DJ’s Alex Grey (green) and Gio Sanchez (red) entertained more than 2000 schoolies for 5 hours.
9.40pm
Meanwhile on the beach in front of Trickett Street, Brisbane indie rock band The Dandys pull a decent mosh pit of their own.
9.47pm
Schoolies are still flooding into the party precinct.
9.51pm
The Hawaiian hula skirt man re-emerges, and gives an impromptu hula dance to passers-by.
9.54pm
Police inspect and run a metal detector over possible toolies before evicting them from the precinct. An officer takes photos of them, drawing angry reactions, but the men keep moving.
10.03pm
Twin sisters Krystal and Karni Huntington along with Brianna Sing, Mali Thurgate and two runaway friends tuck into some Hungry Jacks before heading back to the beach party.
10.05pm
Schoolies gather along the strip, yelling out and greeting friends (photo)
10.07pm
James Fraser from the Sunshine Coast declares he is eating the “best kebab of (his) life” as he sits on a bench with school mates Judson Johnson, Bailey Hobson, and Fraser Young.
10.24pm
A number of schoolies are helped away by volunteers and medical staff.
A girl is wheeled away by SES volunteers and roving paramedics, while another is helped along home by Red Frogs.
10.29pm
The lines outside Cocktails, Asylum, and other clubs along Cavill stretch out the door. Meanwhile others look deserted and hosts yell from the front doors “free entry” to call schoolies in.
10.35pm
A group of female schoolies pose for photos with police on motorbikes. They try on their helmets and jackets for size. Unclear whether it inspires a career choice.
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Originally published as Live from inside the Schoolies party zone in bustling Surfers Paradise
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