On this page Content components Most events on council land need a permitIf you are planning to hold an event on council land, you’re in the right place. We want to help make your outdoor event successful, safe and enjoyable for everyone involved.Most organised activities held on council land require an event permit. This is to make sure outdoor events meet safety requirements, avoid clashes with other activities and comply with local laws and regulations. An event is any organised outdoor activity with 50 or more participants.Council land means open spaces like parks, gardens, reserves, streets, laneways and carparks that are owned or managed by City of Boroondara (or in some instances it may be the State Government).Not sure yet if you need an event permit? Take this quick quiz and we’ll guide you.Take the event permit quiz Examples of some typical events held in Boroondara Expand all Collapse all No event permit needed for a picnic in the park Small events in a park held by private individuals, with fewer than 50 guests and no external suppliers (such as children's entertainers or equipment suppliers), don't need an event permit. If you want exclusive use of a space, though, you'll need to make a booking. Booking fees apply. Browse bookable spaces Event permit needed for a wedding in a local park A wedding in a local park needs an event permit.Browse bookable spaces to find a suitable one for your eventTo support your event permit application, you'll likely need to submit these supporting documents:evidence of $20m public liability insurance (that is $20m for each event operator and supplier)a clearly labelled site map showing all equipment and vendors (where applicable)details of any marquees or temporary structures (including quantities and dimensions)suppliers' registration details.Visit our Event planning resources page. to download useful templates, plans, checklists, forms and run sheets for this purpose. Event permit needed for school or business event that impacts a local street or public carpark A school fete or opening of a local business where some or all your event will take place on a road, footpath or carpark needs an event permit.Browse bookable spaces to find a suitable one for your event.To support your event permit application, you'll likely need to submit these supporting documents:evidence of $20m public liability insurance (that is $20m for each event operator and supplier)a clearly labelled site map showing all equipment and vendors (where applicable)details of any marquees or temporary structures (including quantities and dimensions)suppliers' registration details.Visit our Event planning resources page. to download useful templates, plans, checklists, forms and run sheets for this purpose.We encourage you to get in touch with our Event Concierge, who can support you with the event permit application process once you have a general event concept in place. Event permit needed for a community fun run in local streets A community fun run with some additional infrastructure or road closures needs an event permit.To support your event permit application, you'll likely need to submit these supporting documents:evidence of $20m public liability insurance (that is $20m for each event operator and supplier)a clearly labelled site map showing all equipment and vendors (where applicable)details of any marquees or temporary structures (including quantities and dimensions)suppliers' registration details.Visit our Event planning resources page. to download useful templates, plans, checklists, forms and run sheets for this purpose.We encourage you to get in touch with our Event Concierge, who can support you with the event permit application process once you have a general event concept in place. Event permit needed for Christmas Carols event in a park A Christmas Carols event in the park with a temporary stage, sale of alcohol, some road or car park closures and amplified sound needs an event permit.This is a large-scale event. Events of this size take months to prepare and finalise and must go through a 3-stage application process, during which our Event Concierge will support you.Browse bookable spaces to find a suitable one for your event.To support your event permit application, you'll likely need to submit these supporting documents:evidence of $20m public liability insurance (that is $20m for each event operator and supplier)a clearly labelled site map showing all equipment and vendors (where applicable)details of any marquees or temporary structures (including quantities and dimensions)suppliers' registration details.Visit our Event planning resources page. to download useful templates, plans, checklists, forms and run sheets for this purpose.We encourage you to get in touch with our Event Concierge, who can support you with the event permit application process once you have a general event concept in place. Give yourself enough timeLeave enough time before your event to apply for an event permit. See our suggested timeline below.Number of attendees at eventTime it usually takes an event planner to prepare documentsDeadline for you to submit your complete application Event permit assessment time after all completed documents are received by council50 to 3002 to 3 weeks2 weeks before event date10 business days301 to 500 1 to 2 months3 months before event date1 month501 to 1000 2 to 3 months3 months before event date1 monthMore than 10004 months5 months before event date4 monthsStep-by-step guide to applying to hold an event Step 1. Be clear about your event Be clear on what your event is about, who its intended audience is and whether you want to install temporary infrastructure. This will help you to select a preferred date and venue, and to complete Step 4. Step 2. Reserve a spaceCheck availability of your preferred venue early. Consider access, parking, nearby residents, existing bookings and any site limitations such as power, shade or curfews. Browse our bookable spacesEvents such as street parties and fun runs don't need this step.Step 3. Check if you need an event permitSome small events may not need an event permit. Take our quick quiz and enter details of your event to find out if you need to apply for an event permit.Take the event permit quizStep 4. Prepare documents for submissionOur Event Concierge will review the venue booking you made in Step 2. They'll contact you to get more details about your event – such as what you're planning and when it's happening.After we review this information, we’ll let you know which documents to prepare.At a minimum, you're likely to need most of these:evidence of $20m public liability insurance (that is $20m for each event operator and supplier)a clearly labelled site map showing all equipment and vendors (where applicable)details of any marquees or temporary structures (including quantities and dimensions)suppliers' registration details.Visit our Event planning resources page to download useful templates, plans, checklists, forms and run sheets for this purpose.Event planning resourcesFees and chargesFees apply to cover the administrative and operational costs of processing event permit applications. They're determined by the size, location, duration and complexity of the event.A full or partial fee waiver may be eligible for events that are run by not-for-profits, or receiving council funding or an approved grant.Full details of fees and charges are in our Event Policy, available for download on the Event planning resource page. Expand all Collapse all Site booking fees Full fees apply for commercial and individual private use.Discounted fees apply to any not-for-profit organisation with a turnover of more than $1 million.A full waiver of fees applies to not-for-profits with turnover of less than $1 million, or events funded by council.Site feesFee per hour, incl GST Discounted fee per hour, incl GST Premium sites: Alexandra Gardens, Canterbury Gardens, Central Gardens, Maranoa Botanic Gardens, Surrey Gardens and Wallen Road Reserve, small site (up to 100m2)$170 $50Parks, roads and footpaths, small site (up to 100m2)$50$15Additional site fees per square metre$13.50$4 Permit fees Full fees apply for commercial and individual private use.Discounted fees apply to any not-for-profit organisation with a turnover of more than $1 million.A full waiver of fees applies to not-for-profits with turnover of less than $1 million, or events funded by council.Event permit applicationFee Discounted feeNo permitnonenoneSmall-scale event$75$22.50Medium-scale event$110$33Large-scale event$650$195Event permit Number of food vendorsFeeDiscounted fee None0$0$0Small-scale event1$75$22.50Medium-scale event2$650$195Large-scale event2$900$270Places of public entertainment (POPE) permit, per eventFeeDiscounted feeMore than 10,000 peoplePrice on applicationPrice on applicationFewer than 10,000 people$955$195OtherFeeDiscounted feeMobile food permit per vendor, per day$170.50$51Major event bump in/out fees, per day$350$105 Bonds You may need to pay a bond if your event risks damaging the park or outdoor space where the event is held. The bond is a minimum of $200, depending on the level of risk.Your bond payment will be refunded 4 weeks after the event if the site is in the same condition as before the booking. If there's waste or damage, we may keep the bond, or part of it, to cover the costs of cleaning and repairs. Cancellation fees To cancel your booking, email [email protected] and include:your booking IDthe date of your bookingthe space that you booked.If you cancel:between 10 and 20 days before the booking date, up to 50% of the booking fee and bond will be forfeited to councilless than 10 days before the booking date, the booking fee and bond will be forfeited to council and you will not receive a refunddue to harsh weather, such as rain or extreme heat, we will issue you with a 12-month booking credit instead of a refund. Expand all Collapse all Helpful resources to plan your event at Boroondara Browse our bookable spaces Browse our spaces for hire and find one to suit your event. Event planning resources Find planning guides, templates and practical tips to help you organise your event with confidence. Event Concierge Our Event Concierge can support you to apply for an event permit and identify the supporting documents you'll need to prepare.
