Police have been called to break up several parties on the South Coast over the last week as Canberra teens let loose following the wrap up of year 12 exams.
Coasties who picked NSW over traditional schoolies destination, the Gold Coast, have been accused of leaving beaches strewn with rubbish and broken glass.
Batemans Bay police responded to noise complaints from neighbours on Monday after hundreds of teens were observed gathered at Malua Bay.
South Coast Police District Chief Inspector Greg Flood confirmed all of the schoolies they had spoken to had come from Canberra.
A resident of the area called their behaviour disrespectful and obnoxious and said the teenagers had trashed the pristine beaches.
The woman questioned the responsibility of Airbnb hosts - which she claimed were mostly Canberran - for allowing several teens to book a house for a week during schoolies.
Inspector Flood said extra police had been deployed in the region for the next fortnight in an effort to ensure the safety of residents and the young people.
He said while several large parties had taken place throughout the week, attendees had been very compliant when asked to move along.
"There's been no criminal offence detected and they've been compliant with police and they're generally down here to have a good time," Inspector Flood said.
Police were called to control parties at Malua Bay on Monday, as well as Broulee on Wednesday.
They also responded to noise complaints at Lilli Pilli on Wednesday after a portable DJ was set up beside the beach.
Inspector Flood said while there was certainly bigger crowds than last year during the bushfires it wasn't an unmanageable number.
"We just ask that they're responsible, mature, they drink responsibly and they take into consideration the neighbours in amongst the beach areas," he said.
"We do have additional police down here, we do have additional highway cars.
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"They need to do exactly what they do in Canberra in terms of be responsible and mature and abide by the traffic laws if they're driving and have consideration for the people living down here."
Visitors to the coast have also been cautioned to continue practising social-distancing measures and urged to get tested for COVID-19 should they display any symptoms of the virus.
NSW Health issued a warning this week confirming fragments of the virus that causes COVID-19 had been detected in samples from the sewerage system that serves Batemans Bay.
SARS-CoV-2 in the sewage may be from people who had recovered from COVID-19, such as those released from hotel isolation returning home, NSW Health said.
However, NSW Health was concerned there could be other active cases in the local community in people who had not been tested and who might incorrectly assume their symptoms were just a cold, according to a statement.
