Police call-outs to Wide Bay-Burnett schools in 2023

Police have handled more than 170 incidents in the past 12 months at Wide Bay Burnett schools, new data shows, as the schools responsible for the most call-outs are revealed.

The rising wave of youth crime across the state has been one of the leading issues of 2023, and the latest police data shows the region’s high schools have not been immune.

Queensland Police Service data reveals officers were called to 17 high schools across Wide Bay-Burnett in 2023 for a total of 177 offences.

There were a shocking 59 assaults at 12 schools across the region, the most common offence, followed by break-ins (unlawful entry, 47 offences) and trespassing (33 offences).

In addition to break-in offences 19 thefts were reported and 11 drug offences.

Bundaberg North State High School experienced student brawls that required the attention of emergency services and reports of teachers being fearful of "eshay" students.

Other alarming offences were thankfully among the least reported, including one arson charge reported at Gympie State High School and two weapons offences at Bundaberg’s Shalom College.

Despite the significant attention paid to Bundaberg North State High School in 2023, following reports of riots requiring emergency services and parents and teachers fearful of “eshay” students, the school did not have the highest number of offences reported across the Wide Bay-Burnett, nor even in Bundaberg.

Kepnock State High School reported 27 offences, including an alarming 13 assault charges, the most in the entire region.

Aldridge State High School on the Fraser Coast was next with 19 offences, followed by South Burnett’s Murgon State High school with 18 offences, an alarming result given only 314 students attended the school in 2022.

Gympie State High School had the most offences in the Gympie region with 15 charges, while North Burnett proved to be the safest region for schooling with only Burnett State College making the list, with four offences.

Among the schools with no offences reported were Isis District State High School in Childers, Maryborough State High School, St Patrick’s College in Gympie and Monto State High School.

Read the full list of recorded offences for 2023

Bundaberg (53 offences)

Kepnock State High School reported the most offences in the Wide Bay-Burnett region with an alarming 27 offences, including 13 assaults.

Kepnock State High School (27 offences): 13 Assault; 5 Drug Offences; 3 Good Order Offences; 2 Trespassing and Vagrancy; 2 Other Theft (excl. unlawful entry); 2 Unlawful Entry

Bundaberg North State High School (14 offences): 4 Unlawful entry; 4 Assault; 3 Other Property Damage; 2 Other Offences Against the Person; 1 Other Theft (excl. Unlawful Entry)

Shalom College (8 offences): 5 Unlawful Entry; 2 Weapons Act Offences; 1 Miscellaneous Offences

Gin Gin State High School (3 offences): 1 Drug Offences; 1 Other Theft (excl. unlawful entry); 1 Assault

St Luke’s Anglican School (1 offence): 1 Unlawful Entry

No offences reported: Bundaberg Christian College, Bundaberg State High School, Isis District State High School, Rosedale State School

Fraser Coast (53 offences)

Aldridge State High School, which needed to be evacuated in July after a fire broke out in a toilet block, reported 19 offences, the most in Fraser Coast.

Aldridge State High School (19 offences): 12 Assault; 3 Trespassing and Vagrancy; 2 Other Theft (excl. unlawful entry); 1 Other Property Damage; 1 Unlawful Entry

Hervey Bay State High School (13 offences): 7 Assault; 3 Other Theft (excl. Unlawful Entry); 2 Drug Offences; 1 Miscellaneous Offences

Urangan State High School (11 offences): 3 Trespassing & Vagrancy; 3 Unlawful Entry; 2 Other Property Damage; 1 Weapons Act Offences; 1 Other Theft (excl. unlawful entry); 1 Other Offences Against the Person

St Mary’s College (5 offences): 2 Trespassing & Vagrancy; 1 Other Theft (excl. Unlawful Entry); 1 Other Property Damage; 1 Unlawful Entry

Xavier Catholic College (4 offences): 2 Unlawful Entry; 1 Other Theft (excl. Unlawful Entry); 1 Other Property Damage 4

St James Lutheran College (1 offence): 1 Other Theft (excl. Unlawful Entry)

No offences reported: Bayside Christian College, Fraser Coast Anglican College, Maryborough State High School. Riverside Christian College

South Burnett (41 offences)

Despite its small cohort of students, Murgon State High School reported 18 offences in 2023, the most in the South Burnett.

Murgon State High School (18 offences): 8 Unlawful Entry; 3 Assault; 2 Good Order Offences; 2 Other Theft (excl. Unlawful Entry); 1 Trespassing & Vagrancy; 1 Drug Offences; 1 Other Property Damage 18

Kingaroy State High School (15 offences): 5 Assault; 4 Good Order Offences; 2 Trespassing & Vagrancy; 1 Other Theft (excl. Unlawful Entry); 1 Other Property Damage; 1 Unlawful Entry; 1 Other Offences Against the Person 15

Nanango State High School (8 offences): 3 Assault; 2 Good Order Offences; 1 Drug Offences; 1 Other Property Damage; 1 Unlawful Entry 8

Gympie (26 offences)

Gympie State High School reported 15 offences, including seven assaults in 2023.

Gympie State High School (15 offences): 7 Assault; 3 Unlawful Entry; 2 Trespassing & Vagrancy; 1 Good Order Offences; 1 Other Property Damage; 1 Arson

James Nash State High School (11 offences): 3 Other Property Damage; 3 Assault; 2 Other Theft (excl. Unlawful Entry); 1 Miscellaneous Offences; 1 Traffic & Related Offences; 1 Arson

No offences reported: Cooloola Christian College, Goomeri State School P-10, Mary Valley State College, St Patrick’s College, Tin Can Bay P-10 State School, Victory College

North Burnett (4 offences)

Burnett State College reported only four offences in 2023.

Burnett State College (4 offences): 1 Drug offences; 1 Other Theft (excl. unlawful entry); 1 Unlawful Entry; 1 Assault 4

No offences reported: Eidsvold State School, Monto State High School

Source: Queensland Police Service — Online Crime Map for offences 13 DEC 2022 — 12 DEC 2023

Originally published as Police call-outs to Wide Bay-Burnett schools in 2023