Strong police presence at beach

Acting district superintendent Jeff Ellis said officers who normally had the weekend off would be rostered on across the three days.

Party-goers at hotspots such as Mullaloo Beach, which has had problems in the past, as well as Hillarys Boat Harbour can expect regular police patrols, particularly on Sunday.

‘Mullaloo Beach is always one we keep an eye on,’ Supt Ellis said.

‘You get a few people down there who get a bit of alcohol into them.

‘Hillarys is really well-managed because it’s built to accommodate that many people. The type of people that go to Hillarys don’t want to go down there to fight everyone.’

He was hopeful that revellers would not misbehave and that Australia Day would be as trouble free this year as it was last year, when it fell on a Saturday.

Then, officers had been concerned the weekend date would mean an increase in alcohol consumption compared with recent years where the public holiday fell midweek.