Source: WAtoday
The roads blocks are set up. The police have called in reinforcements as a tsunami of debauchery swarms towards the South West. It can only mean one thing: schoolies.
It's that time of year, when graduating Year 12 students unleash all sort of wickedness that wouldn't be out of place in Sodom and Gomarrah.
But Dunsborough Yallingup Chamber of Commerce boss Rob Zdravevski said the thousands of leavers heading south were actually mostly welcome because they would inject serious coin into the local economy.
"The traders love them- the kids spend," Mr Zdravevski said.
"It's good for the economy. I do my laps of honour around the town and I see the kids with stacks of shopping bags.
"But it's also the bakeries, the surf shops and cafes."
Mr Zdravevski said there would be uproar among Dunsborough business folk if the leavers decided to party elsewhere.
"Put it this way, what if 6,000 of them didn't come to town?" he laughed
"The traders would cry foul.
"One person shoplifts or one person throws a bin and the media focuses on that."
Down the highway in Busselton, Chamber of Commerce CEO Ray McMillan said the leavers arriving got the registerers ringing.
"Let's just say 2,000 of them spend a minimum amount of $50," Mr McMillan said.
"They go to the bakeries, pharmacies, cafe and supermarkets.
"A lot of these kids don't come prepared so they go to Woolworths and clothing-related stores."
Tas's Bakery owner David Rutherford said pies and sausage rolls went flying out the door during leavers' week.
"We pick up by about 10-20 per cent," he said.
Artezen Cafe staffer Tegan Cox said the noshery was packed at this time of year.
"It gets really busy," she said.
"They come in for breakfast in the morning because they are all hung over."
Dunsborough Inn Backpackers assistant manager Vic West said the hostel had been booked out for leavers' week since May.
"It's very busy for us," he said. "But you would expect that with 7,000 people coming here."
Yallingup General Store and Cafe owner Brendan LaMar said the shop was also bustling with schoolies.
"A lot of them stay at the nearby caravan park and buy products," he said.
"So yeah, we are definitely busier - a lot busier than if they were not here."
