Hundreds arrested in Australian revelry

BRISBANE, Australia, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- Hundreds of partying Australians were arrested and police investigated a possible gang rape when New Year's celebrations got out of hand.

The Courier-Mail in Brisbane reported Thursday that four men were questioned by police about the possible multiple rape of a 17-year-old girl attacked about 8:30 p.m.

The newspaper also said there were 51 arrests in Brisbane, 152 on the Gold Coast, 88 on the Sunshine Coast, 21 in Redcliffe and 36 in Bundaberg.

In Mackay, about 400 party-goers rampaged down a street, throwing bottles at police, who numbered just over a dozen officers.

The mayhem also included two boats colliding at Bribie Island, a teenager hit by a drunken driver and trains delayed by drunks, the newspaper said.

The Melbourne Herald Sun reported Victoria police said they were happy with the behavior of revelers despite a large spike in arrests.

Assistant Commissioner Gary Jamieson said there were 1,147 offenses recorded from 8 p.m. Wednesday to 5 a.m. Thursday, up from 511 a year ago. He said the no-nonsense approach kept a lid on the celebrations.

"It was the quietest New Year's Eve and new Year's Day celebrations on record," he said. "Not a single incident of note of riotous behavior."