
Schoolies. If you’re a teenager in your last year of high school or the parent of one, it’s a huge deal. HUGE.
The discussions and debates about where to go and what’s allowed start months and sometimes even years ahead of time. (Gold Coast, Byron Bay… Bali? Will you buy me alcohol? Do you have to drop me off? Yes I will call you every day PROMISE.)
The tradition started in the 1970s when private school kids would head to the Gold Coast for a few days of fun and freedom. But now it’s grown into a multi-million dollar industry and a rite of passage for tens of thousands of young Australians.
Cavill Avenue at Surfers Paradise. Image via Schoolies.com