Council urges pre-schoolies visitors to behave responsibly and stay COVID-safe

Redland City Council is urging young people who may be planning to visit North Stradbroke Island (Minjerribah) for ‘pre-schoolies’ to stay vigilant and follow Queensland Health COVID-19 restrictions.

Mayor Karen Williams said Council wrote to the chair of the District Disaster Coordination Centre last month to advise of the upcoming event and seek advice regarding the expected influx of school leavers that visit the island during the September school holidays.

“While there are usually no planned events for pre-schoolies, there are generally large gatherings on the island’s beaches and in the townships, so we wrote to Queensland Health to make them aware of the event,” she said.

“The response acknowledged that while there may be increased travellers to the island, there are no formal planned events, so school leavers would need to comply with the relevant Queensland Health restrictions in place at the time.

“We welcome these young adults to Redlands Coast, but with large groups comes heightened risk of virus transmission so it is also vital that they help us prevent local outbreaks by adhering to COVID-19 restrictions.

“This includes keeping to the physical distancing rule of staying at least 1.5m away from others, the gathering rules of no more than 10 people in public and private places – excluding venues with a COVID-safe plan in place – and regularly washing and sanitising hands.”

Division 2 Councillor for North Stradbroke Island Peter Mitchell said young visitors to the island should also follow any directions given by Queensland Police.

“There are vulnerable communities living on Minjerribah, and the last thing we would want to see is an outbreak of COVID-19 there,” Cr Mitchell said.

“The rules are in place for a good reason and fines for breaches are significant.

“While Minjerribah is a beautiful location to celebrate the transition from school to adulthood, I urge all visitors to the island to help keep themselves and others safe by acting responsibly, knowing the rules, and keeping to them.”

For information about COVID-19 restrictions in Queensland, visit qld.gov.au/health/conditions/health-alerts/coronavirus-covid-19