Police say they have been tipped-off about plans for schoolies parties in the Lake Macquarie area this weekend, which have the potential to break COVID-19 restrictions.
And one senior officer is calling for school leavers to take care when celebrating, to avoid finding themselves in danger and contributing to a potential spike in calls for front-line emergency workers.
Lake Macquarie Police Chief Inspector Dave Matthews said he was aware of several parties planned for the coming weekend that would likely break the current coronavirus restrictions - 20 people inside a residence and 30 at an outdoor gathering.
He said police would hand out $1000 fines to people at any parties that broke the rules - attendees as well as those hosting - and warned that underage people were not exempt from the financial penalty.
"Over the last couple of weekends there have been some large parties that have gotten out of control at Lake Macquarie," he said.
"A lot of those parties have been attended by juveniles."
Chief Inspector Matthews said the annual school leavers' celebrations often prompted a spike in calls to police and paramedics as well as presentations to the region's emergency departments.
"We find people party to excess and become impaired by alcohol and-or drugs and they lose self control and start committing offences or become a danger to themselves," he said.
"If you're out and about with friends, make sure you stay with friends and don't become isolated. Don't accept drinks from strangers. If you have a drink, make sure you don't put it down and constantly keep an eye on it. If you're feeling unwell, go to people you can trust so they can ensure your safety."
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