Drunk and disorderly descend on Gold Coast

The drunk and the disorderly have descended again on the Gold Coast for schoolies' week celebrations.

Tens of thousands of school leavers are partying on the Gold Coast, keeping police busy.

On Saturday night, 19 males and one female were arrested.

The majority were caught for drunk and public nuisance offences and five with drugs.

Another 47 schoolies were also issued with liquor infringement notices, compared to 110 for the same day last year.

Toolies - older hanger-oners - caused the most headaches for police.

Forty-two were arrested on 52 charges, mainly for public nuisance and other good order offences, along with 59 for drinking in a public place.

Police said arrest figures are slightly down from last year.

"Police were generally pleased with the behaviour of schoolies overall with only a small number of the large crowd coming to the attention of police," police said in a statement.

-AAP