Two NSW teenagers have faced a Queensland Court court over allegedly attacking a fellow reveller on the eve of the busiest schoolies week for former NSW school students
The 18-year-old Queensland victim was in a critical condition in an induced coma on Thursday night. A hospital spokesman said the victim's condition was "stable" on Friday morning, and he had woken from his coma.
Roughly 35,000 Queensland teenagers have descended upon the Gold Coast for their week-long celebration to mark the end of their school years.
The 18-year-old man was allegedly "king hit" twice and spat on as he lay on the ground, police claimed.
The two male alleged attackers from NSW had been locked in a verbal argument about religion with the victim before coming to blows just after midnight, police said.
Daniel El-Nacher, 17, has been charged with grievous bodily harm and Maddy Khal, 18, has been charged with two counts of common assault.
Both have been granted bail and will return to court on January 5.
The alleged attack occurred one day before thousands of NSW schoolies prepare to make the pilgrimage north seeking to blow off steam after their HSC exams.
As Queensland students wind up their celebrations, chief executive of schoolies.com Matt Lloyd said his company was expecting more than 10,000 NSW school leavers to head to the Gold Coast and Byron Bay on Saturday.
The bookings represent roughly 80 per cent of all schoolies participants, Mr Lloyd said.
While the Gold Coast remains the schoolies mecca, alternative destinations including the Sunshine Coast, Airlie Beach and Lorne are also expecting an influx of youngsters.
Queensland police have applauded the behaviour of the vast majority of schoolies this year, despite 11 schoolies-related arrests and and 36 party-goers issued with liquor infringement notices for drinking in a public place on Thursday evening.
Meanwhile, the Queensland Ambulance Service said 70 people in the schoolies precinct were assessed by paramedics on Thursday night and Friday morning, with 11 taken to hospital.
Nine non-schoolies, or toolies, were arrested on 12 charges including public nuisance, street and drug offences. Seven were issued liquor infringement notices.
The previous evening three male schoolies were arrested and a further 32 schoolies were given liquor infringement notices.
