Yoga over booze: the changing face of schoolies in Australia

Since the 1970s, young Aussies have marked the end of their schooling career by descending on beaches across the country for a week of drinking, partying and hooking up – an annual event known as schoolies or leavers.

After making headlines for all the wrong reasons, police and organisers started clamping down on celebrations, especially on the Gold Coast. This year’s official event has gone so far as to ban booze altogether. But even with the changes, and with Gen Z drinking less than any generation before it, many teenagers are steering away from a week of debauchery and are instead prioritising quality time with their friends at more laidback spots.

So has the face of schoolies changed forever? On this extra episode of The Briefing, we’re joined by the founder of Red Frogs, Andy Gourley, to dig deeper.

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