Schoolies continued to leave their mark across Phillip Island last week.
Following the first week of end-of-school celebrations that saw two people arrested for assault by police, as well as fights in Cowes and property damage of businesses, schoolies’ impact was again felt in the last week of celebrations.
Council’s outdoor crew were again out each morning cleaning rubbish strewn across the Jetty Triangle, the Esplanade and Cowes beach.
Shopping trolleys became a feature of streets, footpaths and beaches with clusters forming as far as Silverleaves and Wimbledon Heights, as well as off the jetty and in the water off Cowes east.
Residents vented their frustration on social media, with one post on the popular Phillip Island Community Noticeboard attracting over 100 comments.
Broken glass, rubbish, bins knocked over and fireworks in Cowes were the major causes of concern.
“The amount of smashed glass on the ground is ridiculous and dangerous,” said Samantha Gail.
Rellie Roche said there was no respect shown for the local residents or environment,
“I was at North Pier and they were smashing bottles, climbing trees, setting off firecrackers, swearing, no respect,” she said, criticising police for doing nothing to curb the behaviour.
“Party noise is one thing, but vandalism is not ok,” agreed Sally Hankin.
“The amount of garbage and supermarket trolleys in our streets is disgusting. Totally disgraceful and disrespectful behaviour.”
“Bloody schoolies overturning bins on Osbourne Ave … Sick of these little pr#&ks coming down here and running amuck (sic),” wrote Glenn Plymin.
Heather Hammonds was concerned about fireworks, and dangerous driving.
“We had someone running down the street letting off fireworks in the middle of the street as they went. It was dangerous, most of all to the people doing it.”
However some residents came to the defence of the school leavers, saying it was only a small portion of them behaving badly.
They suggested, as happens every year, there are people using the cover of schoolies to behave badly, knowing the youngsters will take the blame.
“You can’t tell between a schoolie and a local kid,” said Christopher Tenali.
“I work at the RSL and the majority of the schoolies have been really nice.”
A post by Phillip Island Traffic said schoolies had been joined by local kids in year 11 and kids who finished school last year.
In response to the amount of broken glass, it was suggested bottle shops look at not selling alcohol in glass “like they do for the V8s and bike weekends.”
If you find an abandoned trolley:
- Woolworths Cowes - call 1800 641 497 or go to trolleytracker.com.au/Report or upload the app from that website. Anyone reporting a lost trolley goes into the national draw to win, with $5000 in prizes every month; and
- Coles Cowes - call 1800 TROLLEY (1800 876 553) or got to coles.com.au/customer-care/abandoned-trolleys.
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