The Gold Coast is the southernmost city in Queensland, and it is undeniably one of Australia’s hottest Schoolies destinations. Truly remarkable, this stunning city lines a stunning coastline, bursting with wicked waves and fine golden sand, with extravagant high-rises, under an endless rain of sunshine to create a spectacle you must see to believe.

Exceptionally well equipped to show tourists and Schoolies a good time, every element of the Gold Coast tourism scene is on point. It enjoys a culinary scene rivalling that of anywhere in the world. There are limitless avenues to shop ‘til you drop. It is home to a host of different theme parks fit for all ages. Its nightlife is straight up naughty. The local hinterland boasts bewildering beauty at every turn. And, of course, its beaches are every inch postcard perfect.

If you seek an Schoolies escape that amalgamates the best of city life with impeccable elements of natural bliss, somewhere that genuinely has every element of the ultimate tourist experience covered, then Schoolies on the Gold Coast is the place for you!

Schoolies on the Gold Coast

There is no contest… The Gold Coast boasts the biggest, busiest, boldest, and most boisterous Schoolies celebration in the nation. It is the place where it all began back in the early 80s and it has since been the driving force in making the Schoolies festival what it is across the nation today. Undoubtedly still the east-coast crowd favourite, for anyone looking to farewell high school with an almighty bang, Schoolies Gold Coast is it!

To give you an idea of the grandiosity of Schoolies Gold Coast, in 2013 the official statistics showed that more than 40,000 high school students attended the city to celebrate the festival, generating a whopping 60 million dollars in revenue over a few short weeks. Consequently, The Gold Coast City Council is in full support of the movement and this shows in the impressive line-up of official Schoolies events and initiatives that are in place to make sure everyone has the best week of their lives and remains safe while doing so.

During the first week of the Gold Coast Schoolies festival, Schoolies parties thrive alive all over the city, with Schoolies pool parties, Schoolies theme parties and under 18 Schoolies-only nightclub events erupting citywide with the sole purpose of showing graduates a good time. In addition to these small(er) parties, during the first week of the festival, Schoolies who have registered for an official Schoolies wristband can also enjoy access to the official “Schoolies Hub’. Situated atop Cavill Ave on the stunning shores of The Gold Coast’s premier beach, Surfer Paradise Beach, The Schoolies Hub is a fenced-off, alcohol-free festival area that is enlivened each night by huge list of DJs who set the scene for Schoolies to dance the night away. Always the epicentre of all the action, The Schoolies Hub’s nightly Schoolies parties are something you do not want to miss. Better yet, the Schoolies Hub and the surrounding Schoolies beach party is organised by the Gold Coast City Council and the Department of Communities, and it’s free to attend as long as you are a Schoolie. However, please do note that the events and activities available may change year to year.

How to get to the Gold Coast for Schoolies

The Gold Coast has its own international airport in Coolangatta that offers many direct flights from around the country. Brisbane Airport is also only an hour away, with many options for transfers, trains and car rental being available to complete the trip.

For those who live closer, we suggest arriving by public transport where possible. Driving is obviously also an option, however given the huge influx of Schoolies into the city, traffic can be challenging. Furthermore, we caution that not every Schoolies accommodation offers parking and recommend you make enquiries around this before booking.

Where to stay during Gold Coast Schoolies

Much like everything else at Schoolies Gold Coast, the Schoolies accommodation scene is incredibly extensive. Many of the city's holiday accommodation spots welcomes the Schoolies crowd throughout the three Schoolies weeks and generally they are well informed about what to expect. Even so, with the huge numbers in attendance, Gold Coast Schoolies accommodation does sell out and we recommend booking early to ensure you secure your ideal stay.

Generally speaking, there are 4 main styles of Schoolies accommodation for you to consider:

First off, throughout the city there are a number of Schoolies hostels and backpackers offering affordable Schoolies accommodation. They generally offer the option for you to book an individual bed in a dorm room which you will share with other random Schoolies, or for you and your tribe to book an entire dorm room of 4, 6, 8 or more beds together. Many of them also offer private rooms where you can enjoy the hostel’s lively atmosphere whilst still having somewhere to retreat to when you need some alone time. Generally speaking, youth hostels are fun, forward thinking and very social, with many of them even offering their own on-site bars (for the 18+ Schoolies), theme nights and resort style facilities. Furthermore, they also tend to be very well located and offer easy access to all the highlights of the city.

Second, there are many resorts on the Gold Coast which operate solely as Schoolies accommodation during the Schoolies festival. These Schoolies resorts are ideal for larger groups who fancy a little more luxury and a little more privacy. These Schoolies resorts still tend to be super social, with many of them accommodating huge numbers of Schoolies guests who come together to enjoy the resort's facilities which often include a gym, pool, room service and more.

Third, we have Schoolies private apartments. On the Gold Coast, apartment complexes which operate predominantly as holiday accommodation are common and many of these open their doors to Schoolies throughout the Schoolies festivities. Many of these buildings also enjoy great facilities which attract a solid Schoolies buzz, however some may have some permanent residents who you will need to be respectful of throughout your stay. Furthermore, many of these Schoolies apartment towers are incredibly central and offer supreme access to the epicentre of the Schoolies action around Cavill Ave.

Finally, there are also a large number of Schoolies approved holiday homes and private rentals  available as Schoolies accommodation. These are a fantastic way to keep your whole tribe under one roof in a more intimate setting. Whilst many of these homes enjoy amazing locations in general, they tend to be located a little further from the heart of Surfers Paradise where the Schoolies Hub is located.

Tribe Travel are the Gold Coast Schoolies accommodation experts. They have a comprehensive array of partnerships with providers across the city and they are exceptionally knowledgeable on helping guide you to the perfect accommodation for you. Reach out to the Tribe Travel team to discuss your options today.

Is Schoolies Gold Coast Safe?

In addition to The Gold Coast City Council putting on an epic array of official Schoolies parties and events, they also take measures to ensure Schoolies Gold Coast runs as smoothly as possible. Throughout the festival, the city activates what is known as ‘The Safer Schoolies Initiative’ - something that works to put a greater presence of public services on the streets around the city to ensure everyone remains safe and out of trouble throughout their stay.

Furthermore, you will also find the legendary Red Frogs out in force throughout the duration of the festival. The Red Frogs are a team of dedicated volunteers who attend the festival with the sole purpose of assisting and safeguarding Schoolies as they live the best week of their lives. A not-for-profit organisation, The Red Frogs recognise that social media, alcohol and even drugs may be a prominent part of some Schoolies groups' end of year celebrations, and they are ever-present in offering free support and guidance to assist anyone in navigating these things, and anything else that may arise, throughout what is generally a very large week away. Furthermore, they also offer practical assistance, such as walking you home should you be separated from your tribe, helping you cook up an in-house breakfast after a big night out and giving out sunscreen, icy poles and, of course, over 16 tonnes of red frogs each year.

What not to miss at Schoolies Gold Coast

Make the most of the beautiful coastline! The Gold Coast enjoys one of the most pristine coastlines in the world. Its fine golden sand, endless sunshine and crystal-clear waters make it the perfect place to get wet. As the headline beach’s name, Surfers Paradise, suggests, it offers many sensational spots to catch your perfect wave and the rugged coastline abounds with many stunning hiking trails that offer stunning views over the stunning ocean and along the skyride-strewn coastline.

Explore the local hinterland. Head inland from the stunning coastline and you will find an equally impressive hinterland. Alive with more amazing hikes to beautiful lookouts, magical waterfalls and quirky stores selling all sorts of local fare, food and fineries, this is also something you should not miss. We recommend you check out all the awesomeness on offer at Mt Tamborine.

Explore the epic theme parks. With the Gold Coast being recognised as the theme park capital of Australia, it would be rude to not set aside a day or two to check these out during your stay. With Dream World, Whitewater World, Wet N Wild, Seaworld, Movie World and now Top Golf and Outback Spectacular all being just an easy transfer from the city centre, there are plenty of options for you to have an incredible day out.