Meet Cameron, the 11th-floor fool

Cameron Cox lounging on the windowsill / Pic:  Instagram Source: The Daily Telegraph

Can't believe all the fuss ... schoolie Cameron Cox, 18 / Pic: Jerad Williams Source: Gold Coast Bulletin

A PHOTO of a drunk schoolies reveller lying on the ledge of a Gold Coast high rise has sparked renewed warnings about how a moment of madness can kill.

Somerset College graduate Cameron Cox, who said he was 18 years old, caused an internet sensation yesterday after a photograph of him lying on the Gold Coast ledge was uploaded on social media site Instagram.

The photo, taken by another schoolie on Sunday afternoon, showed Mr Cox, originally from Bankstown, positioned perilously close to the edge of the 11th floor of the Surfers Hawaiian Holiday Apartments in Surfers Paradise.

His dangerous nap came despite repeated warnings from police and Schoolies organisers about a spate of balcony deaths on the Gold Coast.

The prank has ended his end of school celebrations, with the Hawaiian Holiday Apartments telling AAP he's been ordered to leave.

The Gold Coast Bulletin yesterday spoke exclusively to Mr Cox, who said he was surprised by the furore.

"I didn't think anybody saw me except for the guys in the unit next to us who took the photo," Mr Cox said.

"I was drunk and climbed out there through the window for the thrill and to get some fresh air. I was out there for about half an hour until a security guard came to do a room check and I didn't want him to know I'd been out there.

"The window slides open. There's no security screens."

The photo, which went viral, led to Mr Cox being branded "dumb" and a "dope" but he said he was more concerned about how his dad would react when he found out: "I knew in past years there had been problems with balconies but I didn't think it would get this much attention. My dad might be angry when he finds out."

Roomate and fellow schoolie James Chard, 17, also from Somerset College, said he considered moving Mr Cox but did not want to make the situation worse: "At first we thought he'd just gone for a walk because we couldn't find him until I went into the room and saw him sitting outside.

A young women is escorted into a paddy wagon by police. Picture: Brad Hunter Source: The Daily Telegraph

"Nobody could convince him to come inside and we didn't want to make him move so people just watched him until he decided to come in."

Somerset College headmaster Craig Bassingthwaighte last night declined to comment on Mr Cox's behaviour. The teenager's mother is a teacher at the prestigious school.

Gold Coast Superintendent Paul Ziebarth said police would continue to monitor dangerous behaviour across the week.

"The police helicopter has been doing patrols of balconies, as well as the beach precinct,'' he said.

"Where we can we will stop the kids doing something stupid.'' 

The chaplaincy group Red Frogs, which supports schoolies, said Mr Cox was extremely lucky.

Red Frogs national director Mark Gourley said the group had been working to head off high-risk behaviour, including warning young women not to encourage young men to do stupid things.

"Guys don't grow a brain until they're 30, so don't egg them on, particularly when they've got the happy juice in them. They make dumb decisions to show off," Mr Gourley told AAP.

"For the girls, don't yell off the balcony encouraging the boys to do dumb things ... there's an artificial hype around schoolies that you get caught up in ... don't sacrifice your future for a week."

He said it was up to schoolies to look after their mates.

"We really put the onus back on the mates that aren't drunk to be looking after friends in case they do something silly like that."

Balcony falls have resulted in at least five deaths in the past 12 months on the Gold Coast, including three incidents in October.

Mr Gourley said that despite the controversy surrounding Mr Cox's high-risk nap, schoolies so far had, on the whole, been well-behaved.

Schoolies chairman Mark Reaburn said teens should think twice before posting pictures on social media.

"Social media is the way these kids communicate but they have to think twice before putting inappropriate pictures up - it could ruin their futures," he said.

"Most employers will get online and check someone's profile before hiring them. These kids could be ruining their chances at future jobs.'

A teenager and an older man push and shove each other over a disagreement in Main Beach Park, Byron Bay. Picture: Brad Hunter Source: The Daily Telegraph

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