Schoolies celebrations will be without beach parties, concerts or large gatherings of students, as authorities confirm the end-of-year event will look very different at hotspots in the Gold Coast or Byron Bay.
Byron Bay mayor Simon Richardson confirmed schoolies in the northern NSW tourist town - emerging as the most viable schoolies option for Sydney students due to travel restrictions - would not be serviced with typical amenities this year."We normally put on a marquee [at the beach] to give out sunscreen and it's a little bit of fun, if people want to meet and gather there. At night, it’s a place the Red Frogs [youth support] do some pancakes, and put music on.
He said the council was concerned about ensuring adequate numbers of police and hospital staff, as thousands of Victorian bookings remained in doubt due to travel restrictions."We've had to take that very tough decision. So there will be, unfortunately, no concerts, no organised events, because there can be no mass gatherings," she said.