Schoolies 2014 - ideas, tips, tricks

[Ralph1Malph]

I know it's early but one can never under plan.:angel:
As I may have mentioned previously, my eldest son (Yr 12 in 2014) has Aspergers Syndrome, which manifests (in him) predominately as social withdrawal and insecurity.
He will not be interested in traditional schoolies at Surfers or Noosa.
I really do want to give him a memorable experience though.

So I am after suggestions that involve him and maybe a small number of his close friends. I am willing (no choice really :p) to finance it and, if required, chaperone.

My cousin treated her daughter to a fortnight with mum in Europe but I am thinking something closer to home.

So far I have thought of:

A 4x4 trek/trip. Maybe the Red Centre or Cape. I could drive and take 2-3 mates. Prob here is most of his close friends are girls and I don't want to encourage shananigans. The girls may shy away from a trip like this as well.

Cruise. Easy to organise, contained and plenty of activities. Mixed gender no issue really.

Community Projects. Similar to this: Alternative Schoolies Week | Rustic Pathways Travel (http://www.rusticpathways.com.au/schoolies.php)

Trekking. Maybe the Overland Track.

Rafting the Fanklin River.

Adrenaline Activities in NZ.

These are all quite $$ and involve some coordination.

Anyone have any suggestions for his 'rite of passage'?

Cheers
Ralph

[austastar]

Hi,
how about a week or so sailing on the Whitsundays?

Link (http://whitsundayssailingadventures.com.au/vessel.php?name=Kiana)

cheers

[vnx205]

I'm guessing the 4x4 trip was first on your list for a reason. :D

I don't suppose the parents of one of his female friends has a 4WD and could be talked into doing the trip too to provide extra chaperones. Maybe the parents of the other girls would be more comfortable with chaperones who also had a daughter on the trip.

There might be a lot more planning needed for that trip than some of your other suggestions. Maybe if you were not the only parent directly involved, it might make it easier.

I think I understand your hesitation, but there may be solutions.

[Landy Smurf]

I missed out on my schoolies unfortunately.
I had a group of friend go to the high country and trekked and camped plus the trip down and back. They had a great time.
Another friend was 17 and had a friend who was 17 as well and they went with her parents to a resort type place accommodation at sunny coast.
It may be hard to know whether his friends would come or want to as they might want to do the traditional schoolies things.
If it was me I would love a trip for a 5-10 days on fraser island. But that is just me.
If you want some of his friends to come I would imagine you would have to aim for under 2 weeks.
I am sure you and your son and everyone else involved will have a ball and will be a great memory to have

[Barefoot Dave]

G'Day 'Ralph'.
My bloke went to Vitetnam/ Thailand with a group of 'Voluntourists'.
1 week acclimatising to the culture and sightseeing, 1 week trekking, 1 week assisting at a school and 1 week doint the resort thing.
What a great option.
His friends that went to th GC for schoolies came back after the 3rd day as they had enough of the grog culture
His 'Updates'had photos from elephants, Ankgor Wat and great teamwork instead of drunk idiots!

That sort of thing might not work for your fella though.
You could do something similar locally for a lot less dosh.
With a bit of thought you could put together a plan to include most of what you have thought about.
A couple of days 4WD up to Sundown, trek along the BNT/Great divide, B&B for R&R and hit the Sunny Coast for some 'civilisation' then paddle up the Noosa River past Harrys Hut and further.
Minimal Social stuff with strangers, close to trail heads for evac/'I've had enough' etc.
PM if you need some help. It is what I do.

[d2dave]

My eldest, now 23, and a few friends hired a house boat for a week. They just drove it a short distance from the hire place and parked it and partied on it.

[nobbyclrk]

A hike to the top of Mt Kinnabalu, Borneo.
Blew me away. Not many places in the world you can order a cup of tea and look down through the clouds below on to the mountain ranges that are not so high.
I'll try and upload some pics tomorrow. Price - Midrange but so worth it and so memorable.

[rocket scientist]

4wd trip, long hike, houseboat; all would have to be more memorable than schoolies on the Gold Coast. I think your son is very fortunate to have you arrange a better alternative.
Borneo sounds great!

[frantic]

Talk with the 3-4 closest friends and see what they would think of. Maybe if it's all girls with him go the opposite way to either NSW or Vic and do a few shows and then a tour of Tassie after catching the ferry over and hiring a Toyrago from the ferry terminal. Pre-book 7 or so nights around Tassie.

[87County]

I think it's a really good idea to think "outside the square" for your son and posssibly some of his friends.

You've got some great suggestions already - and I like the idea of "voluntouring" as outlined by Barefoot D.. I'll just throw another idea into the pool of ideas that you are getting....

Take up to a week bushwalking/camping/horse riding in Kosciuszko National Park - and some of his friends may want to do it as well.

Lots to do - lots of places to visit - lots of history - lots of technical and natural/environmental things to see.

There are options for breaks from the camping life at good eateries and chalets.

It's not busy there at that time of the year and it's not too hot.

It could be a memorable time tha wold be quite different from what most would be doing. Lots of detail on the net, but pm me if you want.

Then there's always Kokoda ....

[123rover50]

Fill me in on a bit of history.
When did this schoolies stuff start and to what purpose. I went to PNG in the 60,s and came back in the 80,s to find all this schoolies rubbish going on.
Does any other country in the world have it or is it just an oz thing?
When I was a kid we left school and went to work. No problem.

Keith

[87County]

Fill me in on a bit of history.
When did this schoolies stuff start and to what purpose. I went to PNG in the 60,s and came back in the 80,s to find all this schoolies rubbish going on.
Does any other country in the world have it or is it just an oz thing?
When I was a kid we left school and went to work. No problem.

Keith

The purpose is obviously a recognition/reward and when a person or his family is as affluent as we are in Oz, then it happens. Ralph (OP) calls it a "rite of passage".

Don't know how it started, and I don't know if it's done elsewhere, but when your peer group and your mates are doing it ....

[weeds]

My oldest is in grade nine but has already requested an international trip with his mum (mum and dad divorced) and a barra adventure in the gulf

Still four years away so things could change.....my bet is it will be travel of some sort.

[Naviguesser]

All my three never bothered with it. They could see no point in going getting smashed with the drones who just had to do it.

School is done , get a job, what's the big deal?

[vnx205]

Fill me in on a bit of history.

The cynic in me says that it is another example of successful marketing.

I suspect it started because Gold Coast businesses realised that there was a quiet time before Christmas when they could be making more money. Their solution was to start a "tradition" of a week of anti-social behaviour.

Students didn't need to have this activity until they were told by advertisers that they needed it. Then because of the media coverage resulting mainly from the drunken behaviour, it grew in popularity.

That is the grumpy old man's version of the history of "Schoolies Week". :p

[sheerluck]

My daughter and her friends who left Year 12 this year were originally planning for a tour of NZ South Island for their Schoolies week. But the more we looked into it, the more expensive it became for 4 teenagers without driving licenses, and her friends couldn't afford it any more (which I was glad about, because I had better ways of spending a couple of thousand dollars too!)

They decided instead that they would just rent an apartment on the GC, outside the main Schoolies area to stay away from the drunken masses. They enjoyed themselves thoroughly, and $150 for her share of an apartment rent, plus some spending money was much more affordable.

I was very glad that my daughter chose not to follow the herd.

For me, even though there is no Schoolies tradition in the UK, I went on a 10 day trek through the Lake District with my mates. It was recognition of having finished the significant part of our education together, and the end of an era as we all disappeared off to various universities/jobs etc.

[Ralph1Malph]

So far some great ideas! Keep them coming and thanks.:D
I like the idea of a home base with shorter activities.
My folks live in Rockhampton, a short drive from Yeppoon which is a smaller Schoolies venue. CQ region also has great driving, sailing and so on.

One idea that came to me was to base them in my parents house and that way they can pick and choose which events they attend, also I could pre arrange some sailing, Keppel Island days, Carnarvon gorge walk, things like that.
If they want to attend some schoolies organised party events, that would work too.

Just a thought:D.

Ralph

[zulu Delta 534]

So, what are HIS suggestions?
Regards
Glen

[Ralph1Malph]

So, what are HIS suggestions?
Regards
Glen

"I dunno"
"I'm not really interested"
"I dunno"
"Is it lunchtime yet"

:D:D:D

[Naviguesser]

"I dunno"
"I'm not really interested"
"I dunno"
"Is it lunchtime yet"

:D:D:D

My son is 21 and his replies are still the same.

[Blknight.aus]

buy him a nearly completed project car let him finish it and when its done its his as a gift.

get something simple like an early swift or VW that parts are a dime a dozen for and its not too fuel hungry or restricted by plate license requirements.

[nobbyclrk]

As promised. It's a two day hike to about 14,000ft. Just typical hiking. Not that hard - I'm no walker.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/01/1482.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/01/1483.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/01/1484.jpg

[Landy Smurf]

That is cool.
I will have to add it to the bucket list

[weeds]

"I dunno"
"I'm not really interested"
"I dunno"
"Is it lunchtime yet"

:D:D:D

Sounds like a good excuse to organise your own trip and invite the lad

[Ralph1Malph]

Sounds like a good excuse to organise your own trip and invite the lad

I suggest it will be a bit like that yes ;)

Ralph

[Sleepy]

"I dunno"
"I'm not really interested"
"I dunno"
"Is it lunchtime yet"

:D:D:D
C'mon Ralph1, every teenager responds like that. Dig deeper! Ask questions drop hints, ask his close friends. I must admit the sailing idea was first into my head - Whitsundays? - maybe they could camp overnight or two on a deserted island.

P.S. My daughter just did Schoolies in GC, she told me it was boring. I was happy with that.(I think that is the response she was going for!) I don't think he is missing much.

[SuperMono]

We have just spent a week on Kangaroo Island, loved it.
Plenty to do and see, can add in some adventure stuff if you want.

[Ralph1Malph]

C'mon Ralph1, every teenager responds like that. Dig deeper! Ask questions drop hints, ask his close friends. I must admit the sailing idea was first into my head - Whitsundays? - maybe they could camp overnight or two on a deserted island.

P.S. My daughter just did Schoolies in GC, she told me it was boring. I was happy with that.(I think that is the response she was going for!) I don't think he is missing much.

Cheers,
Once school starts back, I'll be doing all those things. Atm, all he wants to do is concentrate on not being at school over the hols.:D
I'll be more of a detective in a few weeks/months.

Ralph

[bob10]

You have to understand the lad wants to be with his mates, 99.9% do nothing wrong, if you interfere too much, you may lose his confidence. Just tell him you & mum will be there, if he needs you. Stand back, he is leaving the nest. If you have raised him to respect himself, & others, you don't have much to worry about. But, just remember, he is a young man , if he gets into a little bit of strife, cut him some slack. Sometimes letting go is hard, but he may surprise you, & that is a magic moment. This is coming from a family with 4 schoolies. And a man who didn't get past grade 9 , but has had a wonderful life. Bob

[Landy Smurf]

Well said bob

[Ralph1Malph]

You have to understand the lad wants to be with his mates, 99.9% do nothing wrong, if you interfere too much, you may lose his confidence. Just tell him you & mum will be there, if he needs you. Stand back, he is leaving the nest. If you have raised him to respect himself, & others, you don't have much to worry about. But, just remember, he is a young man , if he gets into a little bit of strife, cut him some slack. Sometimes letting go is hard, but he may surprise you, & that is a magic moment. This is coming from a family with 4 schoolies. And a man who didn't get past grade 9 , but has had a wonderful life. Bob

Honestly, my concern is somewhat different.;)
I am concerned that because of his quiet, reserved, introverted nature, he and the like minded kids he hangs with may not bother to organise anything or leave it until it's too late.:( I actually want to prompt them with a few bonza suggestions suitable to their personalities so they can get organised early.
That way they have a great schoolies memory and not just one of trying booze and sexual groping!:mad:
You are right though, as one of the eldest in the group he will come of age before most, I'll have to push him from the nest - and measure it for a pool room.:D

Ralph

[bob10]

Honestly, my concern is somewhat different.;)


I'll have to push him from the nest - and measure it for a pool room.:D

Ralph


In the words of Arnie, " He'll be back! ", trust me I know, especially around dinner time, :p Bob

[newhue]

Ralph, I reckon Fraser. It's close, and if you can't spent a week or two there amusing yourself with all it has to offer, then unfortunately your son and his mates aren't into the natural world. Moreton can also be a good substitute. But Fish, snorkel, toboggan, swim, walk, bars, drive, wildlife, fresh or salt, surf or calm, Fraser has a fair bit to offer for that time of year.

[Ralph1Malph]

In a fortuitous turn of events, our neighbor is a recently graduated plodder whose former endeavor was a school chaplain and 'red frog' Schoolies | Red Frogs Australia (http://au.redfrogs.com/schoolies) (for those who don't know). Their lodger is a current school chaplain at my sons school!:cool: Both are well versed in 'schoolies for the quiet kids', including tours and trips away from the GC.:D Both have offerred to provide us with a whole heap of info about non GC schoolies events as they find out about them. They suggested, as have others here, that we gather my sons friends in a room and bombard them with options. Let them know what's available and put some ideas in their computer game addled heads.:twisted:

The things you find out from chatting to neighbors!

On a side note, when I said that I would consider a trip to the red centre to be a great schoolies event, both neighbors said they'd like to come along!
Bugger the kids, we should just go ourselves.:twisted::twisted::twisted:

Ralph

[bob10]

The things you find out from chatting to neighbors!

On a side note, when I said that I would consider a trip to the red centre to be a great schoolies event, both neighbors said they'd like to come along!
Bugger the kids, we should just go ourselves.:twisted::twisted::twisted:

Ralph


It is so good to hear a positive story like that. Thank you, your son & his friends will be ok , Bob

[Ralph1Malph]

It is so good to hear a positive story like that. Thank you, your son & his friends will be ok , Bob

Yeh, I reckon so.
I am just trying to get in ahead of the rush so he (and a few mates) have a great end of school memory.:D:)
It'll probably go nothing like I imagine, but my prompting will force them to think about it at least.

Cheers
Ralph

[Barefoot Dave]

You are a bloody good Dad, R.

In some circles, you and I are referred to as ' Controlling' parents!
I call it being caring and involved.

[UnleashedAmit]

Sending him to Fiji with some friends could be a good option!

https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc1/995021_10152202185834758_1896290490_n.jpg

[Ferret]

Daughter went to East Timor to do some voluntary community work. Son went on tour of the Europe WWI and II battle fields.

[Ralph1Malph]

Okies, time to revisit and get serious!:D
Have repeatedly badgered the young 'un to interrogate his friends as to what they may want to do for schoolies.

The answer is not encouraging:(. It turns out that two common themes prevail:
We are not really interested, we'd rather just be able play computer games for the whole week:eek: or
We'll worry about it when it gets closer but maybe just a party here at our place!:angel:

WTF! Are kids today that apathetic?

Any ways, I am now starting to give this some serious thought on his behalf.

Two ideas I keep coming back too are a week in NZ at the bubbling mud place (Rotorua). There appear to be heaps of short activities to do. Things like this Rotorua Activities - 54 Rotorua Tours - TripAdvisor (http://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Attractions-g255111-Activities-c25-Rotorua_Rotorua_District_Bay_of_Plenty_Region_Nort h_Island.html)

The other is still a concept but something similar to what Barefoot Dave suggests in an earlier post. Drive, hike, camp etc. Just got to decide where.

I guess I have some work to do!

Cheers
Ralph

[weeds]

Ralph......maybe drop the schoolies tag as your young fella and his friends are not fussed with being associated with it.

Still plough on with idea but maybe look for idea that suit them more......and not restrict yourself tot the schoolie week, maybe the first UNI break next year or wait til winter. It's awesome that you want to do something with them, I'm already talking with my grade 9er, which is easy at the moment fishing fishing fishing.

[AndyG]

When exactly is schoolies? Just thinking the Centre may getting a bit warm?
My son & mates hired a house at Noosa to get away from the GC thing.

[Ralph1Malph]

You may be onto something. I am starting to sell it as a 'welcome to the rest of your life trip'. We'll see how that goes.
Ralph


Ralph......maybe drop the schoolies tag as your young fella and his friends are not fussed with being associated with it.

Still plough on with idea but maybe look for idea that suit them more......and not restrict yourself tot the schoolie week, maybe the first UNI break next year or wait til winter. It's awesome that you want to do something with them, I'm already talking with my grade 9er, which is easy at the moment fishing fishing fishing.

[weeds]

You may be onto something. I am starting to sell it as a 'welcome to the rest of your life trip'. We'll see how that goes.
Ralph

Maybe there is a technology/gaming expo in japan.....or Asia kill two birds with the one stone.