Wild ‘foolies’ parties emerge as new trend to worry parents

Forget schoolies, the real issue worrying parents is ‘foolies’ – wild alcohol-fuelled parties attended by children as young as 12. Here’s what’s been happening.

It’s just two weeks until Schoolies descend on Surfers Paradise. And as much as we might worry about our Year 12s hitting the streets - and the bottle - it’s their little brothers and sisters we should be watching.

They are the little foolies desperate to join the party.

Now these kids, generally from Year 9 and above, won’t necessarily be heading for the sanctioned Schoolies Festival precincts, but you will find them out in force at house and post-event parties.

Just look at what happened in Logan last weekend.

In scenes worthy of a Corey Worthington event, an out-of-control house party in Chambers Flat ended up with more than 400 wild revellers, with at least five children rushed to hospital for intoxication, some as young as just 12 years old.

There have been similar incidents reported on the Gold Coast in the last few months.

Aftermath of a teen party at Chambers Flat. Photo: Mohammad Alfares.

Aftermath of a teen party at Chambers Flat. Photo: Mohammad Alfares.

These private parties, attended by large numbers of under-18s, are a worrying new trend, and one that Red Frogs founder and director Andy Gourley is trying to bring under control. Much like Schoolies themselves.

After years of education and a concerted effort from the combined forces of state government, council, tourism operators, private businesses and volunteers, Mr Gourley said the Schoolies cohorts from the last five years have been head of the class.

Mr Gourley said there were far fewer drinkers these days, and those who did were less likely to binge.

“They’re more likely to get excited about smashed avo at a cafe than getting smashed at a party,” he said.

“We see them carrying in slabs of water rather than beer, it’s great.”

While Schoolies is absolutely still a concern for parents – especially with new drugs appearing every year, along with the effects of fatigue, burnout and mental health issues – the message seems to be sinking in that this festival is a time to have fun, not to seriously risk your health.

Red Frogs founder and director Andy Gourley. Picture: Adam Head.

However, when it comes to the younger years at high school, it seems the appetite for destruction is only growing.

It’s why Mr Gourley is bolstering the Red Frogs Party Safe Seminar and taking it to as many Year 9 classrooms as he can.

“This seems to be the year level where the exposure, access and experimentation with drugs and alcohol really starts,” he said.

“We already know that vaping is a huge problem at this age, but that’s only the start.

“We’re trying to get through to them that what you do now can affect the rest of your life. It’s not just about your own actions and decisions if you’re drinking, but the actions and decisions of your friends and classmates when drinking that can hurt you.

“They’re the ones who show up to older kids’ parties and just go wild, they have no idea what their bodies can handle and even less ability for good decision making.

“At least by Year 11 and 12 a lot of kids are getting serious about school work and they don’t want to jeopardise that. The Year 9s and 10s haven’t got there yet.”

Mr Gourley said Red Frogs was fielding more calls to provide support for private parties as well as events like post-formals.

He said parents could register their parties online with police as well as book for support through the Red Frogs page.

“We have been providing a lot more after-party support, we show up and cook some pancakes or give the kids a chill-out zone,” he said.

“We’re aware that some of the more significant party activity is moving out of the city and event precincts and into the home or residential streets.

“You can’t pretend it doesn’t happen, you just have to try to keep it as safe as possible and the police are great with that too. We’re not there to judge, we’re there to support.

“But parents have to play their part too, and we’ve seen them really engage with some great ideas. One of the parties we went to recently, the parents put every driver’s keys into a bowl and they could only get their keys back if they blew .05 or under on the Breathalyser.

“Every parent needs to keep tabs on where their children are going, check in with other parents, and if you are hosting a party … never, ever put it on social media.”

And that’s a message every parent should share.