Yeppoon set to welcome 500 schoolies | Rockhampton News | Local News in Rockhampton

SCHOOLS OUT: (left) Rochelle Jurgens, Miranda DArcy and Chris McLean cant wait to celebrate schoolies week in Yeppoon.

IT'S been called the happiest week of a high school graduate's life.

And teens Chris McLean Miranda D'Arcy and Rochelle Jurgens can't wait to see if Schoolies' Week can really be that good.

For them the countdown to a week of partying is well under way and the trio will join thousands of school leavers from across the state on November 23 to celebrate the end of 12 years of schooling.

Up to 500 just like them are expected to celebrate their week in Yeppoon.

"It will be the happiest days of my life," Chris said grinning from ear to ear.

"The three of us will be spending it in Yeppoon. We're not sure of our plans at this stage, but we'll make our own fun."

Rochelle said she was looking forward to spending the week with friends and unwinding from the stresses of school.

"I still have a week of exams to go through before schoolies week, I have three exams to go," she said.

"We have a big group of us going to Yeppoon, about 30 of us so it should be good."

Miranda, who turned 18 on November 5, said she was looking forward to the freedom.

PCYC branch manager Sergeant Greg Jones said a week of festivities was awaiting the school leavers including free breakfasts and barbecues, competitions at the beach, and drug and alcohol-free dance parties and movie nights.

"It's a week they can spend to remember rather than one they'd like to forget," he said.

"Yeppoon is pretty unique when it comes to Schoolies Week. We encourage all schoolies to register so they have a photo ID to go to all schoolies related activities, and it's free. All they need to bring is their current school ID to register.

"It prevents any toolies or foolies from taking part in the celebrations."

He said extra community volunteers would also be supporting schoolies at Yeppoon and will be highly visible in their purple polo t-shirts.

Sergeant Jones said the coast hasn't had a schoolies-related arrest in five years and hoped for a safe and enjoyable week.

He said there would be a heavy police presence to monitor underage drinking.

RACQ will offer free bus services for young Yeppoon partygoers. For more information visit www.schoolies.qld.gov.au or www.pcyc.org.au.