As the sun sets on Surfers Paradise, a DJ on the main beach pumps a club mix of Reel 2 Real’s I Like to Move It, signalling the start of the final, frenetic night of Schoolies Week 2025. This annual rite of passage for thousands of Australian school leavers is in full swing on the Gold Coast, a tradition that has evolved significantly from its origins on Broadbeach in the 1970s.
For the past week, an estimated 15,000 teenagers have descended upon the coastal hub to celebrate the end of their secondary education. The scene is a vibrant mix of halal snack packs, sugary alcoholic drinks, and endless dancing, all under the official—and broadly interpreted—costume theme of "good, evil, iconic," which has spawned everything from The Lorax to a human Christmas tree.
A New Era of Safety and Supervision
The modern Schoolies experience is a far cry from the wilder parties of decades past, thanks in large part to a concerted safety effort. The Queensland government established a formal schoolies hub in 2003, not to attract more teens, but to manage the event's safety. For two weeks, central Surfers Paradise roads are closed to accommodate the hub, which operates from 7pm until midnight.
The result feels like a party in a managed, open-air space. Teenagers, all wearing identical fluorescent pink lanyards, are contained behind fencing that separates them from tourists, locals, and older "toolies." Inside this zone lies the beach, a large makeshift stage, and a series of tents offering water, emergency assistance, and welfare checks.
This coordinated approach has yielded impressive results. Acting District Director of the Queensland Ambulance Service, Justin Payne, reported that only 18 of the 479 patients treated required hospitalisation, mostly for intoxication or minor injuries from falls. "A decade ago we'd have to transport around 40 people a night to the hospital system," Payne noted, calling the current figures "extremely positive."
Similarly, Acting Chief Superintendent Brett Jackson confirmed only 20 arrests throughout the week, for offences like drug possession and disorderly conduct—a figure attributed to a "changing culture" of teenagers looking out for one another.
The Daily Rhythm of a Schoolie
By early afternoon, the streets of Surfers Paradise are deceptively quiet, with most schoolies sleeping until midday. Around 2pm, sunburnt teenagers emerge to brave the sweltering heat, congregating at takeaway shops for kebab deals and plates of fried chicken specially priced for the event.
Mia, 17, staying at the Hilton, described the daily routine as "low-key chill." "Basically, you wake up, go to the pool or just chill and watch TV, low-key just lying around. Then pre [drinks], room hopping, doing what you want to do." The Hilton is one of the largest accommodation sites, famed for its exclusive "pool party" events, with invites to upper-level penthouse parties being the most coveted.
At the Hilton pool, dozens of school leavers lounge on cabanas and mill about in the water, often drinking Hard Rated through plastic straws. Joey, 18, from Brisbane, enthusiastically dunked his friends in the water. When asked about his plans for the final night, he simply replied, "We're having a big one."
Nightfall Brings the Bizarre and the Boisterous
As evening descends, the atmosphere shifts. The carnival-like energy within the official hub is palpable, despite it being a designated no-booze, no-drug zone—a rule seemingly pre-empted by the number of beer slabs seen carried in earlier.
The festivities often take a quirky turn. McDonald's once again became an unofficial centrepiece. Outside, a local teen, Kane, 18, offered free haircuts, resulting in Will, 18, from Brisbane, getting a checkered skullet. "I made a bet with my friends three years ago that if I got a checkered skullet they all had to get it," he explained. "Hopefully the ladies love it."
Religious groups also descended, preaching and warning of the rapture, while Hare Krishnas attracted a large, dancing crowd. Piper, 18, and Maddie, 17, who were there for just one night due to budget constraints, cheerfully announced their plans were simply "clubs!" adding they might sleep on the beach afterwards.
The commercial side of Schoolies was also on full display. Shopfronts promoted schoolies specials on singlets and bucket hats with suggestive slogans. Condom Kingdom sold "survival kit" showbags, and viral sex workers Annie Knight and Lily Phillips made appearances to promote safe sex, a topic also addressed by the Queensland government's ubiquitous messaging, including a main stage billboard reading: "Everyone has the right to feel safe. Groping without consent is assault."
For many, however, the week was about friendship, not hook-ups. Mia, 18, emphasised this, stating, "We just want to be with our friends. We're for the girls."
The week culminated on the beach, where the music transitioned from I Like to Move It to AC/DC's Thunderstruck. Volunteers, including the SES team in full uniform, were cheered onto the stage before starting a dancefloor on the sand to an electronic version of Life is a Highway. In that moment, school leavers and emergency service workers bonded, waving their arms in the air under the flashing lights, united by the shared sentiment of the song and the powerful, enduring spirit of Schoolies.
