As Schoolies celebrations kicked off over the weekend, an Australian researcher is urging parents to discuss a new threat that has emerged from OnlyFans stars.
Up to 20,000 have descended on the Sunshine State strip to party during Schoolies celebrations, with parents worrying from afar as their kids leave the nest for the first time.
For emergency services, its a demanding period, with many celebrations derailing due to intoxication and violence.
According to a DrinkWise study, nearly a quarter of school leavers engage in binge drinking during Schoolies, and one in five report consuming even more alcohol after the event.
Researcher Amy Pennay said young people are drinking less over time but the 18-24 age group remains the peak time for experimentation.
It becomes an even more risky time because youre not used to drinking, you dont know what it takes to get drunk and your tolerance is very low, the alcohol policy researcher at La Trobe University said.
You feel like its not working and then all of the sudden it hits you all at once.
The first weekend of Schoolies on the Gold Coast saw the majority of partying teenagers doing the right thing
The two-week event will see more than 20,000 teens descend on the popular tourist destination to celebrate the end of 13 years of school
I think thats why at Schoolies we see a lot of intoxication behaviour and increase in emergency departments.
School leavers tend to take more risks after the stress of the final year of education ends and there is a sudden release of responsibilities, Dr Pennay said.
This years Schoolies has already been plagued by drama with backlash to adult content creator Bonnie Blue who promised to bed barely legal men at the event and film it to publish on a subscription-based site.
Her visa was revoked as carrying out work in Australia would be a breach of the conditions.
It was predictable that teens might be interested in taking up Ms Blues offer, however it came down to their brain chemistry, psychology researcher Rachael Sharman said.
She said the 18-year-olds attending Schoolies still have the frontal lobes of their brains developing which inhibits their risk-to-reward analysis.
Teens arent great at considering the long-term consequences of a decision like filming sex and putting it on the internet, Professor Sharman added.
It might sound like a really great idea to get yourself up on (Only Fans) having sex with someone but you know in 10 years when youre at the alter ready to say I do, your wife might not be very pleased, the University of the Sunshine Coast researcher said.
These school leavers were all-smiles as they arrived for a week of celebrations on Saturday
A group of sensible men arrived with a wagon full of bottled water and toilet paper
Parents should have conversations with children around the long-term consequences of such behaviour, Prof Sharman said.
She recommended also having conversations about safe sex and consent before the event.
Parents sitting down and having a discussion over the dinner table is very, very important, she said.
Teenagers might not listen to their parents sage advice but Prof Sharman said simply planting the seed was important.
You give them a bank of ideas that they can pull from if they find themselves in a difficult situation, she said.
The first weekend of Schoolies on the Gold Coast saw the majority of partying teenagers doing the right thing, with only four arrests.
Queensland Police Chief Superintendent Craig Hanlon said four Schoolies and eight non-school leavers were arrested on the weekend for 17 minor offences.
These include drug possession and public nuisance incidents like urinating in public and drunk and disorderly behaviour.
In the scheme of things, its not serious, he told reporters on Monday.
People can take a lesson from those and move on.
Supt Hanlon said the number of arrests remained low and were very good numbers, showing Schoolies revellers so far were having fun but being respectful.
Considering its the Gold Coast on a weekend, we think thats a very good result, he said.
So thank you to the Schoolies who are doing the right thing.
Police are also wanding for knives under Jacks Law - named after a teen who was fatally stabbed on the Gold Coast - during the celebrations, with 295 adults and 172 kids checked for weapons.
Supt Hanlon said two knives, a set of knuckle dusters and a fold-back knife were seized from people who werent Schoolies.
The wanding will continue throughout Schoolies celebrations until December 1.
Pill testing is also underway at the Gold Coast event after the Liberal National government backtracked on plans to dump the service.