Outdoor Event Planning

City of Newcastle (CN) is a proud supporter of events and recognises their important role in building social capital, encouraging community participation and enhancing tourism opportunities.

CN's commitment to grow Newcastle's reputation as an event city is documented in its Events Plan 2016 - 2019 (pdf). This plan also describes the multiple roles we have in relation to events including; attracting, partnering, funding, sponsoring, producing, promoting, approving, licensing, liaison and asset owner.

The Newcastle Events Guide (pdf) provides helpful information for event organisers planning and applying to run events on Council managed park, beach and road reserves, sportsgrounds, roads, footpaths and public spaces.

By working together with event organisers, we can continue to ensure the community has access to a diverse range of safe, accessible, well-managed and well-promoted events in Newcastle.

For all enquiries, please complete the Event booking enquiry.


Planning an Event on a City of Newcastle Reserve

When an event or activity is to take place on a reserve owned by and/or under the trustee of CN including; Park Reserve, Beach Reserve, Road Reserve (including footpaths) or on a Sportsground, you will need to request an Application for a Licence to Stage an Event. This can be done by calling our Customer Contact Centre on 02 4974 2000.

One of CN's event officers will check to see if the reserve is available, make a tentative booking and forward the customer the Application for a Licence to Stage an Event.

There are strict time lines around the lodgment of the Application for a Licence to Stage an Event. CN's Events team will liaise with the customer throughout the application process, advise when the application needs to be returned by, assess the application and issue the event authorisation.

When lodging the Application for a Licence to Stage an Event you may need to provide the following information and documentation depending on the size and impact of your event, these include but are not limited to;

Information

Documentation

Public Liability Insurance (PLI) - Event Coverage

  1. Must be a minimum of $20million liability cover

  2. Must note City of Newcastle as an Interested Party

Charity and Not For Profit Organisations

  1. Supply Certificate of Charity Status

  2. Supply Certificate of Not for Profit

  3. Supply Letter of Authority to Fundraise

Public Rally or Protest

  1. NSW Police Form 1 - Notice of Intention to Hold a Public Assembly

Food Operators

  1. PLI must be a minimum of $20million liability cover

  2. Food Inspection Certificate (Mobile Food vendors)

  3. NSW Food Authority - Markets & Temporary Events Notification

  4. City of Newcastle Food Stallholders Schedule

Amusement Operators

  1. PLI must be a minimum of $20million liability cover

  2. SafeWork NSW - Certificates (where applicable)

Pyrotechnics Operators

  1. PLI must be a minimum of $20million liability cover

  2. SafeWork NSW - Certificates

  3. SafeWork NSW Fireworks Display Checklist

Alcohol - Supplying, Serving & Selling

  1. PLI must be a minimum of $20million liability cover

  2. Liquor/Caterers Licence

  3. Medium to High Impact - Alcohol Management Plan

Road Closures

  1. Traffic Management Plan

  2. Traffic Control Plan

Temporary Structures (100 square meters or over)

  1. PLI must be a minimum of $20million liability cover

  2. Hand Over Certificate, Construction Certificate, Build Certificate and/or Engineers Certification

  3. Build Standards:

  • AS/NZS 1170.0:2002, Structural design actions-General principles, and

  • AS/NZS 1170.1:2002, Structural design actions-Permanent, imposed and other actions, and

  • AS/NZS 1170.2:2002, Structural design actions-Wind actions

Site Plan(s)

  1. Placement of Amusements

  2. Placement of Temporary Structures

  3. Placement of Waste

  4. Placement of Toilets

  5. Placement of Temporary Fencing

  6. Vehicle Access

Waste

  1. Low Impact - Waste Requirements

  2. Medium to High Impact - Waste Management Plan

Sound Management

  1. Low Impact - Details & Duration of Amplified Sound

  2. Medium to High Impact - Sound Management Plan

Electrical

  1. Details of Requirements

  2. Public Access

  3. Single and/or Three Phase

Water - Public Access

  1. Details of Requirements

Vehicle Access

  1. Number of Vehicles

  2. Access Route

  3. Parking Permits Required


Road Reserve

As per the application requirements, events that are located on any section of the road reserve will require a Traffic Management Plan and a Traffic Control Plan to the approval of Council.