‘No warnings’: Police say misbehaving schoolies face arrests

“We don’t have to treat them as kids – they’ll get arrested.” Police have issued a stern warning to schoolies headed to the Coast who plan to have a little too much fun.

Police have issued a stern warning to schoolies headed to the Sunshine Coast this year.

Police have issued a stern warning to this year's batch of schoolies ready to embark on the Coast.

More than 5000 schoolies are expected in Noosa alone and for the first time most of 2020 schoolies will be 18, and therefore legally classed as adults.

From a police point-of-view that means if they are caught breaking the law they will not be cautioned.

Noosa Police officer-in-charge Troy Cavell warned schoolies any illegal activity would lead to automatic fines and arrests.

Here they come: Schoolies set to swamp Coast

"If they are 18 we won't be mucking around," he said.

"We don't have to treat them as kids - they'll get arrested."

Senior Sergeant Cavell said up to 60 per cent of schoolies ready to embark on the Sunshine Coast would be 18.

However, he was unconvinced that was how they were being treated at home.

"I have had mothers ring me saying, 'can you look after my daughter?'," he said.

"It's like they've been sitting in cotton wool for 18 years."

Police were expecting an increase in assaults, sexual assaults complaints and drink driving, along with a "huge" increase in drinking and public drunkenness throughout the schoolies period.

But they predict the week-long event will all get too much for the school leavers after a few days.

"Hopefully they burn themselves out with the hangover from hell, get bored and go home," he said.

Officers will be working overtime and extra shifts to meet the demand expected from the 5000-plus students due to arrive on the Coast in the last week of November.