Young women are drinking themselves into oblivion and leaving themselves vulnerable according to a local bus service operator.

Tony Ritter, who started his Adrenalin shuttle bus service in Port Douglas less than two months ago told The Newsport he has witnessed a disturbing trend.

"We haven't had any instances involving any young males or men at all...there have been times when we've felt a little bit intimidated thinking 'this is going to be a scary ride with ten big footballers on board', but we've been surprised by the manners of them, very good manners, all happy and relieved to get home.

"When it comes to young women they're girls gone wild on the streets of Port Douglas at the moment.

"A lot of these young girls are on their own. There have been six or seven incidents where girls have been intoxicated to the point where they don't even know where they live or where they're going.

"Two we've picked up off the side of the road carrying their shoes, in a real mess.

"Saturday night I found a young girl passed out in the Coles carpark...it was just disturbing to see her, to come across that in the carpark, she looked dead. I'd like to know where are her friends?"

But it has been the violent and abusive behaviour of some women that has shocked and appalled Mr Ritter.

"There have been a couple of incidents in a period of four weeks where there have been three fist fights involving females on the bus.

"The insults they give each other - calling each other sluts and bitches and whores...they've really lost the spirit of looking after their friends," he said.

Mr Ritter said he is looking to press charges against one lady who, last Thursday evening, allegedly abused and assaulted him, his driver, and two passengers on board his bus, despite repeated attempts to assist her.

But. Mr Ritter defended the town's licensed establishments saying they are not necessarily to blame for excessive drinking.

"We can't blame the pubs here because I stand out the front of the Ironbar every night and I watch them walk people out, I watch them refuse people entry, those guys there are doing their job.

"I don't want people to quickly blame the pubs because a lot of these people come from private parties and that needs to be known.

"The first thing people are going to do is turn around and blame the pubs, that they just keep serving them. I know for a fact that they don't."

He said that he established his Adrenalin bus service to fill a gap in the market whereby late night revellers could feel confident of returning home safely in a timely manner.



Pictured: Adrenalin driver Mark Charlesworth and owner Tony Ritter.

Port Douglas Police Officer-In-Charge, Sergeant Damian Meadows said the town is facing the same challenges as other centres around Australia.

"I don't think Port Douglas is immune to anything, I think there's a problem with the responsible consumption of alcohol across the board in Australia, I think it's a real culture.

"Gone are the days when people would drink to relax and enjoy themselves. The younger generation, it seems they drink for effect rather than enjoyment."

Sergeant Meadows said that, on the whole, licensed establishments were adhering to responsible service of alcohol legislation.

"I think some people go pretty close to the wire. Different establishments are perhaps a little more lenient with the responsible service of alcohol than others.

"Having said that, the fines that are left open to establishments and/or staff are quite substantial.

"We're fortunate enough to have a liquor enforcement team in Cairns that attends Port Douglas on a regular basis and go through our licensed establishments quite thoroughly...to ensure they comply with the legislation that's in place.

"The last couple of times up here they've detected only minor issues that have warranted some coaching or verbal warnings. We're not at the stage yet where it has required any prosecution."

He added that it's not just alcohol that causes the behaviour outlined by Mr Ritter.

"Sometimes there can be illicit substances involved as well, and I'm not hinting at drink spiking. Some of these people partake in illicit substances before they go out, or while they're out."

Sergeant Meadows urged young women to think of the possible consequences of losing control of their social situation.

"There are a lot of things that can happen to young ladies in particular when they're three sheets to the wind.

"A lot of things that can take place, that in the cold light of day, they might be very regretful for. Or, unbeknown to them, events may have taken place, or they may suspect things have taken place whether they have or they haven't.

"Their recollection of what took place may be very sketchy indeed and that's a horrible situation for any young person to be in."

He said it was vital that friends looked out for each other during a night out to ensure they returned home safely. It's a message re-enforced by Mr Ritter.

"Where's the sisterhood? Look after your friends," he said.