Schoolies: What Parents Need to Know Before Their Teens Head Off

As Schoolies 2025 approaches, hundreds of Mackay students will soon make their way to Airlie Beach, the Gold Coast and beyond for a week of celebration, independence and, if we’re honest, plenty of opportunities to make questionable decisions.

For parents, it can be an anxious time.  While most young people have a safe and positive experience, it’s important to understand the legal risks they may face and how to support them in navigating their first taste of adulthood responsibly.

Below, we break down the key legal issues students need to be aware of, common pitfalls, and what to do if something goes wrong.

Underage Drinking: The Law in Queensland

Airlie Beach and the Whitsunday region will see a major police presence throughout Schoolies.  Officers conduct regular ID checks, patrol accommodation complexes, and monitor public areas.

Parents and students should be aware that:

• It is illegal for anyone under 18 to buy, possess, or consume alcohol in a public place.

• Penalties can include on-the-spot fines, confiscation of alcohol and, in more serious situations, a court appearance.

• Providing alcohol to a minor in a public place is an offence, even if you are their parent.

Accommodation providers also often enforce their own strict rules.  Breaches (including balcony drinking, noise disturbances or overcrowding rooms) may lead to eviction or police involvement.

What to tell your teen:

If they are under 18, they should not drink or carry alcohol outside their accommodation and should avoid situations where they may be pressured into drinking publicly.  If they are over 18 they should not consume alcohol in public/non licenced places such as the beach, lagoon, parks, or in the street.

Drug Use: Zero-Tolerance and Serious Consequences

Drug offences are treated extremely seriously in Queensland, and Schoolies events are no exception.

Students should be aware that:

• Possession of even a small amount of an illicit drug, such as MDMA, cannabis or cocaine, can lead to police charges.

• Police regularly conduct operations, including the deployment of drug detection dogs, in the nightclub district and around the foreshore.

• Sharing drugs with friends, even if no money changes hands, is treated as supply, which carries significantly heavier penalties.

What to tell your teen:

If someone offers them drugs, walk away.  A single moment of poor judgement can have consequences that last far longer than Schoolies week.  If they have any concerns, they can approach the Police (police.qld.gov.au) or Red Frogs (redfrogs.com.au).

Drink Driving: A Risk With Lifelong Impact

Airlie Beach attracts many students who travel up from Mackay by car.  While this offers flexibility, it also carries obvious risks.

Key points for students:

• Provisional and open licence holders face strict alcohol limits.

• Police conduct frequent roadside breath and drug testing during Schoolies.

• Drink driving can lead to immediate licence suspension, fines and long-term consequences for work and travel.

Encourage your teen to plan ahead:

Use taxis, rideshare services, or designated sober drivers.  If they have a car, it should remain parked for the entire week unless absolutely necessary, or offer to drive them to Airlie Beach yourselves to remove any temptation.

Property Damage: “Fun” Can Quickly Become Criminal

Groups of excited teenagers, unfamiliar accommodation, and late-night antics can lead to accidental (or impulsive) damage.

Students should know that:

• Damaging property, even something small like breaking a door, damaging furniture, or damaging a hotel fixture, can lead to criminal charges.

• Accommodation providers often pursue guests for repair costs.  These costs can be substantial.

• Police may become involved where damage is deliberate, reckless, or affects public property.

Talk to your teen about responsibility:

If something is accidentally damaged, they should notify management immediately rather than trying to hide it.

Consent: What Students Must Understand

Conversations about consent are essential before Schoolies.  Alcohol, new social environments and peer pressure can cloud judgement, but the law remains clear.

Students should know that:

• Consent must be freely and voluntarily given.

• A person cannot consent if they are very intoxicated, unconscious, asleep, or otherwise incapable of understanding what is happening.

• Consent can be withdrawn at any time, even if the parties know each other or have been intimate before.

• “No” is not the only way someone expresses a lack of consent.  Silence, hesitation, discomfort or freezing are also clear signs to stop immediately.

• Being intoxicated is not a legal excuse for misunderstanding consent.

Importantly, sexual assault offences carry very serious penalties, and police take complaints made during Schoolies extremely seriously.

What to tell your teen:

They should never assume consent. They must check in, communicate clearly, and stop the moment there is any uncertainty.  And, equally, they should feel empowered to say “no” in any situation where they are uncomfortable.

If Your Teen Gets Into Trouble: What They Should Do

Nobody plans to run into legal issues during Schoolies, but it does happen.  A calm, informed approach can prevent a difficult situation from escalating.

Teach your teen to:

• Be polite and cooperative with police.  Arguing or becoming aggressive will only make things worse.

• Ask to contact a parent or responsible adult immediately.

• Avoid giving detailed statements without legal advice.  Students have the right to remain silent (other than providing basic identifying information).

• Seek legal advice as soon as possible.

How McKays Solicitors Can Help

McKays Solicitors has a dedicated Criminal & Traffic Law team experienced in assisting young people and their families with matters arising from Schoolies, including underage drinking, assault, public order offences, drug offences, and other charges.

If your teen finds themselves in trouble, early advice can make a significant difference.

Our team can explain their rights, represent them in dealings with police, and guide your family through the next steps with clarity and compassion.

For confidential, local assistance, contact McKays Solicitors’ 24 hour emergency number 0407 860 938, or download our handy electronic business card and save it to your, and your teen's, contacts now - https://qrau.co/QcoC5w

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