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Boredom in Paradise
It’s hard for young people
to have fun. Friday night comes along and myself and all my
friends want to go out to have a good time, just all being
together and celebrating our youth. But not on the Sunshine
Coast.
I’m 17 living in the beautiful tourist destination of
Noosa! The name lives up to its reputation, it is not
cheap, anything to do in Noosa on the weekend is expensive.
Go to The J, where all events cost to get into, the movies, which
take a good chunk out of our part-time pay. Most kids on or
around Noosa find it hard enough just to get a job.
Oh and let’s not forget the unreliable bus system.
So now us teen aged youth from 15 to 17 must resort to trying to
entertain ourselves at places like the river, which most parents
don’t think is suitable for their kids to be hanging out at, at
such late times. The areas on the river which we most hang at are
not lit, and the streets are patrolled by police thinking that we
are up to no good, which because there is nothing to do, we
sometimes are, this makes an uneventful night.
The second destination of choice is the beach, which not even 30%
of kids live close to, causing the other 70% to over pack their
cars and some even drink drive due to the consequence of no
suitable cheap places for teens to hang. If the police have
reports of youths loitering on the beach, within a heartbeat they
are there, thinking that they are doing the wrong thing.
Although most of us aren’t even drinking, just hanging around a
fire having a laugh.
I hear of the times in my parent’s youth when the beach was a
free place to party around a bonfire and the local surf clubs
used to hold all age dances which were enjoyed by all. I
think it is unfair for us teens to live in such a beautiful place
and not being able to take advantage of the beaches and river and
the lack of free underage events on most weekends.
Emily, Age 17
Weyba Downs
Noosa is an amazing place
to live in, but not so amazing to grow up in. There is nothing to
do! And going to the beach every single day in the holidays gets
a bit tiresome. Unlike my other friends and peers, my friends and
I don’t like to “party” or go out ALL the time which is good for
us being in Noosa, and at least had a positive effect on my
studies. For someone like me it feels like all I can do in Noosa
is study, stay at home or go to the beach (on a sunny day). We
can’t just casually go shopping at decent places because that’s a
one hour trip on a bus that hardly runs. We can’t just go walking
and window shopping in the junction because there are no shops
anymore or in Hastings Street because it is way too expensive (or
you get kicked out of a store that sells beach wear, that is 10
metres from the sand, for not wearing shoes as of just coming
back from the beach!).
I also have a boyfriend, whom luckily enough am trusted to be
with at his house because there is honestly nothing else we can
do, or any place we can go without spending a LOT of money!
One thing that isn’t an obvious issue for many teenagers I know
is not just activities and entertainment in Noosa but medical
facilities. For the past 5 years I’ve had to make trips to
Nambour, relying on my dad to take time away from work, so that I
can get my check-ups at the hospital. It wouldn’t have been so
bad if it wasn’t, as it was at one point, an almost fortnightly
occurrence.
Noosa will always be my home and I will always come back here but
at the moment, as a 17 year old finishing high school, Noosa
seems like this black hole that is full of people wanting to
escape, with no real opportunities, but don’t worry because there
is a great view.
Caitlin, Age 17
Sunrise Beach
As it has been School Holidays and Em has been working with us a
lot, we thought it would be interesting to have a teenagers
perspective on the Coast. No real criteria was given for an
editorial, basically, your call girls, if you could do an
editorial what would it be about? Caitlin is our daughter,
who has also been working for us and basically had the same
mission handed to her. The above is what we got from them
both. Without talking to each other about it, and being
totally different types of kids, one is more science and
sociable, the other is more music and quieter, we got a pretty
similar scenario from them…
Now, I would have to say, thinking back on my teen years, growing
up in BrisVegas, we did actually have quite a few things we could
do, even with some things costing, it was a lot easier to get a
part-time job, just about every kid had one, so you could afford
to pay for the odd band in Albert Park, or to go to ‘town’ to the
movies.
I remember when Council first proposed building the J, there was
even a competition for naming the new youth facility.
Obviously it is not considered economically viable to have too
many free youth events now that it is actually built, and I am
sure the dreaded public liability which is a scourge on our
society makes doing anything for kids there even more expensive,
but maybe we should be looking at this issue more
seriously.
Kids seem to be the only ones here on the Coast that don’t really
have a voice about the future direction of the Coast.
Having a child grow up here myself the old Noosa Council did a
lot of free youth events that surrounded the bigger sponsored
ones, they were welcome at the Library, Gallery, and Noosa
Community Radio (they still are to a certain degree), but with a
Mega Council now, concerned about ‘Big Ticket’ items, (just like
the neglect of small businesses here on the Coast), the kids are
also being left at the kerb. Maybe in all the planning with
the expensive consultants, they should take a ‘time-out’ and have
a chat to a few kids as well?
cheers
Noely
The MSC Editors Desk
Please have your say below in the comments. As a teenager
what do you think your biggest hassle is in your particular
location? As an adult, what do you think the biggest issues
are for kids growing up her on the Coast, particularly
teenagers?
Permanent Link: Boredom in Paradise
Publish Date: 04 Oct 11
PO Box 38, Cotton Tree Qld 4558, Sunshine Coast Wide
Phone: 07 5455 4832
Fax: 07 5455 4831
Email: Email this business
Website: www.mysunshinecoast.com.au
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Comments / Have your say
From a concerned Sunshine Coast resident.
NB: i agree that Peregian Originals is THE most peaceful free outdoor gathering with good crowds, great for the whole family. The community and commerces would suffer if council keeps taking the side of arrogant and annoying residents.
It would be good to see these young people speaking correct English, but if they are not taught to do so in school or at home then there is not much chance. It is much easier & correct to say, "all my friends and I" than "myself and all my friends." Sounds like the "ME" generation rules.
Retired teacher,
Jane
with the lack of entertainment for the youth my eldest, out of boredom, ventured into drugs. My youngest, an academic, studies to all hours of the night and wants to have fun on her time off but has nothing to go out too. Living in Doonan they couldn’t get to town easy, and their only means of transport was to have older friends with licences, I didn’t like that much. I have petitioned for a bus service to come to our area (which I pay council levy for) but denied each time. The girls didn’t find any means of entertainment until they both gained their licences and could drive to venues off the coast.
In my day, the local church held a dance nigh, which local bands preformed for free, which was a good opportunity for my friends and I to go out in a nice safe environment. I would be glad to give my services to hold one in Noosa, but no one has the time or money!
The only fee event we enjoy is Peregian Originals, which is a great day out. I am always more than happy to donate to this great event but unfortunately the entertainment may be coming to an untimely end for all the noise complaints from the local residents.
Are we now looking at Noosa being a retirement community? We should give a louder voice to the youth of this great community.
Permission should be given to have beach parties on the main beach areas, and bon fires for weekends and holidays on the Sunshine coast.
If people are so concerned, let a beach patrol keep and eye on certain main beaches till 11pm
Let us breathe life into the coast again.
Lets revive the coast, with more freedom.
Narrissa.
These kids are correct in their view, without the knowledge of "why", the many reasons are reflected in the article and Ella's comment. even as a "mid-life" adult, I find there are few places to go and do things, and I am reasonably inventive.
Times change, the restrictions, limitations and by-laws are concerned with the small number of trouble-makers, but adversely effect the majority of good, fun-loving, lively kids, just looking to enjoy themselves. Having said this, I think the girls points would have been better made if both had included their own thoughts on quite what they do want to be able to do in their free-time in a more positive manner.
I've been fortunate to build a business where I can work around the kids - we have a troopie that regularly fills with kids being transported places -
I'd love to see the amphitheatre in Eumundi be accessed more - there is a limited bus service - but it's a brilliant venue - parents can wander over to Eumundi Square and get great coffee and lose themselves in Berkelouw Books. Win Win for everyone :)
I have just finished reading your very interesting newsletter. Thank you.
However, I became very annoyed to read that young people are saying there is nothing to do. In life, one has to work hard and put effort into making their life full of interest, fun and joy. It doesn’t turn up on the doorstop every 24 hours.
Having grown up in a small country town in NSW (no TV or Internet, car or telephone), we had a full life and a bicycle!
Saying there is nothing to do, is a cop out and expectation that someone else should make fun for people.
There are so many organisations in our community. Immediately, I think of opportunities to gain swimming and tennis coaching and instruction certificates, Indee Theatre and Noosa Arts Theatre productions. There are bushwalking clubs (Noosa has a good one), camera clubs, choirs, family history research clubs, go bike riding, sporting clubs, take a train or bus to Brisbane and attend a play, concert etc . There is voluntary work. I am now a retiree and even while I worked full time, I was forever finding new interests and hobbies and 24 hours in a day was not enough time.
Go regularly to the movies and invite your friends home for supper afterwards. Noosa and Nambour show excellent films. Take a bus to Nambour.
I recommend that these ‘bored’ young people think again about the opportunities there are outside of their homes for taking the boredom out of their lives. There is always the opportunity to meet new friends and contacts.
Marlene
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