Schoolies 2020 Mornington Peninsula: Rye hub scrapped to stop crowds
A base created to protect teens during Schoolies Week has been cancelled in a bid to keep numbers down across the Mornington Peninsula. But experts have warned nothing will stop the party.
South East
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Mornington Peninsula Shire has cancelled its Schoolies Week Safe Space on the Rye foreshore in a bid to prevent crowds.
Councillors voted on Tuesday to ditch the initiative over fears it would encourage young people to flout coronavirus restrictions preventing large gatherings.
“With current Stage 4 restrictions in place until mid-September (at the earliest) and the likelihood that Stage 4 restrictions will only lessen to Stage 3, the ability to adequately and safely facilitate a Schoolies Safe Space in early December is highly unlikely,” a council report states.
Instead the council will investigate hosting a live, online concert and social media campaign to acknowledge the efforts of all graduates.
The council’s Youth Services Team would also help police by providing transport for teens asked to move on, attending house parties to “de-escalate anti-social behaviour” and supporting drug and alcohol affected school leavers.
The costs would be covered by the council’s $30,000 Schoolies Week budget plus $11,000 provided by the State Government to pay for the Safe Space.
Social worker Dominic Mapstone said the move would not stop teens from flooding the area.
“Schoolies might not be officially organised this year, but it will happen,” Mr Mapstone said. “Places like Rye are likely to be even more popular than before because young people won’t be able to leave the State.
He feared Victoria Police was not adequately prepared to deal with “Gold Coast style numbers” in coastal regions.
“It will take great leadership and a proactive approach to keep young people and the communities they are visiting safe,” he said.
Mr Mapstone has supported young people in crisis during Gold Coast Schoolies since 1994.
He is the director of Rebeccas Community which funds the National Schoolies website.
The site aims to equip young people with tactics to stay safe and includes a Schoolies Survival Guide .
Inspector Bruce Kitchen said Mornington Peninsula police were prepared for “similar numbers, if not more” revellers to visit the region for Schoolies Week.
Insp Kitchen said without knowing what restrictions would be in place by late November it was difficult to gauge how the celebrations would play out.
“We will be resourced to respond in a fluid and proactive way,” he said.
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