Schoolies celebrations proved to be a “hectic” Sunday night for police who fined two school leavers for assaults on police horses as 2500 people hit Noosa Main Beach.
Noosa police had their busiest run of Schoolies arrests yet, in a night that left one student in hospital after a Hastings St assault.
Police took action on 25 occassions, including fines, arrests and move on orders.
16 of which were schoolies.
Acting officer-in-charge Sergeant Troy Cavell said it had been a “hectic couple of hours” in a night when two school leavers flicked horses on the backside in separate incidents.
“These are police horses,” Sgt Cavell said.
“They are part of the police service.
“Would you go up to a police officer and do that?”
Police issued $400 fines to the two schoolies for public nuisance.
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Sgt Cavell said police modified their plan to disperse the large crowd gathering on Main Beach on Sunday night.
Officers enforced a strict zero alcohol possession and the lights over Main Beach were dimmed and then turned off about 11pm.
“Our changing of the enforcement and zero alcohol plus the lighting seems to be working,” he said.
According to Sgt Cavell, by 2am Monday Noosa Heads was “pretty well clear of the crowd”.
As police prepare for another big night on Noosa’s beaches, they hoped their new strategy will allow the school leavers are safe and enjoyable night of celebrations.
“It’ll be Groundhog Day, as we will be repeating this nightly until the weekend,” Sgt Cavell said.