Backpacker says St Kilda beach party outrage over the top

One of the 5,000 backpackers who trashed a Melbourne beach in a massive Christmas Day party says the outrage it prompted is over the top.

The St Kilda foreshore was strewn with so much rubbish and broken bottles after the day of revellrey that it will cost the local council $18,000 the clean up.

Jack Weatherley, attending the annual unplanned party for the sixth year in a row, said everyone was in ‘good spirits’.

 

The St Kilda foreshore was strewn with so much rubbish and broken bottles after a Christmas Day party that it will cost the local council $18,000 the clean up

British backpacker Jack Weatherley, one of 5,000 who attended, says the outrage it prompted is over the top

British backpacker Jack Weatherley, one of 5,000 who attended, says the outrage it prompted is over the top

‘People are overreacting and making a mountain out of a molehill… It needs to be put into perspective,’ he told Daily Mail Australia.

‘Locals saying it’s an environmental disaster obviously have not read about the bleaching of the Great Barrier Reef or the forest fires in Southern California.’  

The British seasonal worker condemned the rubbish left behind as ’embarrassing’ but said the cleanup bill was a small price for the city to pay.

‘It’s bad figure but nothing compared to how much tourists bring into Australia, they all pay tax and spend all their money here,’ he said.

‘Everyone had a lot of fun and will go home to wherever they’re from and say they had a great time ever in Melbourne for Christmas.’

Mr Weatherley (pictured at the Melbourne Grand Prix) condemned the rubbish left behind as 'embarrassing' but said the $18,000 cleanup bill was a small price for the city to pay as tourists brought so much money into the economy.

Mr Weatherley (pictured at the Melbourne Grand Prix) condemned the rubbish left behind as ’embarrassing’ but said the $18,000 cleanup bill was a small price for the city to pay as tourists brought so much money into the economy.

More than 5,000 revellers had a cheeky Christmas party on St Kilda's South Beach foreshore 

More than 5,000 revellers had a cheeky Christmas party on St Kilda’s South Beach foreshore 

By the early evening, piles of rubbish was seen piled up on the grass of the St Kilda foreshore

By the early evening, piles of rubbish was seen piled up on the grass of the St Kilda foreshore

Mr Weatherley suggested the mess could have been minimised if police had reminded partygoers to put rubbish in the bin throughout the day.

‘I’m responsible, I hate litter, but there are a lot of people who disregard it,’ he said.

Two people were arrested for public drunkenness and a 27-year-old was hit by a train after tourists took trolleyloads of alcohol to the beach.

But despite the behaviour of backpackers being slammed as out-of-control, Mr Weatherley said it was a ‘happy atmosphere’.

‘It was a really jovial day out by many different nationalities, which is what Australia was created from,’ he said.

City of Port Phillip Council is banning alcohol outdoors from Boxing Day until January 4, 2018

City of Port Phillip Council is banning alcohol outdoors from Boxing Day until January 4, 2018

The aftermath of the Christmas party was messy, with police calling it 'unacceptable' 

The aftermath of the Christmas party was messy, with police calling it ‘unacceptable’ 

He also pointed out that the party was no worse than chaotic scenes seen every year at the Melbourne Cup. 

Mr Weatherley’s opinion was not shared by Port Phillip mayor Bernadene Voss, who  described the scene as ‘horrendous’.

‘It’s an absolute disgrace how people come and enjoy our beautiful place and the foreshore and absolutely trash it,’ she told Melbourne radio station 3AW on Tuesday.  

‘It became quite rowdy.’

Inspector Jason Kelly said more than 5,000 people packed the South Beach foreshore from the late afternoon into the night as part of an ‘unplanned event’ which caused traffic chaos.

‘What really disappoints Victoria Police is the level of intoxication that occurred here tonight as evidenced by the amount of rubbish left behind,’ he told reporters on Monday night.

‘We’ve had a number of people injured as a result of people stepping on glass.

Alcohol could be consumed outdoors until 8pm but many continued drinking after that time

Alcohol could be consumed outdoors until 8pm but many continued drinking after that time

After many drinks, the revellers at St Kilda struggled to do the right thing with their rubbish

After many drinks, the revellers at St Kilda struggled to do the right thing with their rubbish

‘What people need to do is respect the local community, respect the local environment. It’s very disappointing. It’s not acceptable.

‘Unfortunately, tonight we’ve seen some incidents that are below the line.’ 

Police resources from across Melbourne were deployed  ‘as a result of large amounts of intoxication and alcohol consumption’ which was in breach of a council by-law which banned drinking booze on the foreshore after 8pm.  

City of Port Phillip council workers have spent Tuesday morning cleaning up the St Kilda foreshore.

Ms Voss said she would review a council policy of only deploying extra council workers when the temperature was anticipated to hit 30 degrees, adding the council had expected more families than backpackers to crowd out the St Kilda foreshore.

The police weren't in such a festive spirit after seeing bad behaviour on Christmas night

The police weren’t in such a festive spirit after seeing bad behaviour on Christmas night

Council workers have spent all morning cleaning up the St Kilda foreshore after a wild night

Council workers have spent all morning cleaning up the St Kilda foreshore after a wild night



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