Outdoor Events Policy

Share your thoughts on changes to the City's Outdoor Events Policy.

The City of Fremantle is reviewing its Outdoor Events Policy to better support a vibrant events calendar while managing the impacts on residents, businesses, and public spaces.

Since COVID, Perth’s event landscape has shifted significantly. Fremantle has lost two cornerstone festivals—St Jerome’s Laneway Festival and Falls Festival, and the absence of these events has created a noticeable gap in Fremantle’s event calendar.

The original Commercial Events Policy was created during the height of the COVID pandemic, when organisers faced significant limitations and uncertainty. The revised Outdoor Events Policy was adopted before the full, lasting impacts on the industry were fully understood.

Feedback from the events industry has consistently highlighted the need to:

• Reduce regulatory burden and Council processes.
• Lower venue hire fees where possible.
• Shorten approval timeframes to allow for responsive programming.
• Create a more supportive environment for promoters operating in an already high-cost, high-risk industry.

This review proposes the following key changes:

1. Changes to the event allocation at outdoor event venues:
   1. Fremantle Park – increase to a maximum of two Major or Large impact events per year (currently one Major or Large).
   2. Fremantle Oval – increase to a maximum of one Major and four Large impact events per year (currently three Major or Large).
   3. Esplanade Reserve - increase to a maximum of one Major and four Large impact events per year (currently three Major or Large).
   4. Bruce Lee Oval – the addition of Bruce Lee Oval as a ‘bronze’ outdoor event venue.
   5. Hilton Park – the addition of Hilton Park as a ‘bronze’ outdoor event venue.
      
      
2. Changes to the expression of interest process:
   1. Removal of the Expression of Interest process, which previously required promoters and organisers to submit applications up to 12 months in advance, including detailed event information meeting specific policy criteria—information that was often subject to change due to industry uncertainty.

The proposed removal of the formal EOI process, combined with increased event allocations at Esplanade Reserve, Fremantle Oval, and Fremantle Park, directly responds to industry feedback while ensuring impacts on residents and the broader community are appropriately managed.

This revised policy aims to balance the needs of the events industry with the City’s responsibility to protect public amenity and minimise disruption to residents, particularly in relation to noise and other event-related impacts. This engagement process seeks to inform the public of this revised policy and collect feedback from individuals, promoters, events industry representatives and local business owners for Council to consider before its final adoption.

In summary, the objectives of this revised Outdoor Events Policy engagement is to:

• Inform the public and key stakeholders about the proposed policy changes.
• Consult stakeholders to gather input, feedback, and suggestions to shape the final policy.
• Collaborate with the events industry and local businesses to identify potential impacts and opportunities.
• Ensure representation from a diverse range of community voices, including residents, event organisers, and local businesses.

We invite your feedback on the proposed changes to help shape the future of events in Fremantle. Before the Council makes a final decision on changes to the Policy, we are asking the community to:

• Review the revised Outdoor Events Policy, Key Documents and Frequently Asked Questions.
• Contribute feedback by completing the survey below.
• Provide a written submission or request a 1:1 or group meeting with a City Officer.

City Officers aim to:

• Keep you informed, listen to and acknowledge concerns and provide feedback on how public input influenced the decision.
• Work with you to ensure that your concerns and aspirations are duly noted, provide clarity on questions that may arise.

How can you meet with City Officers to discuss this policy and your feedback?

• 1:1 or Group Meeting: Would you like to meet 1:1 with City Officers to get clarification on the policy, and how to best submit your feedback? You can request a meeting by emailing events@fremantle.wa.gov.au. Please note, we'll aim to meet all requests subject to staff availability.
• If you are a business owner, there is a specific survey we have designed to seek you feedback.
• If you are a member of the events industry and haven't yet been contacted by City officers to share your feedback, please email events@fremantle.wa.gov.au.

How can you make your submission?
Submissions can be submitted online via the submission form below, or:

• By Mail
  PO Box 807
  Fremantle WA 6959
• In Person
  Walyalup Civic Centre
  151 High Street
  Fremantle WA 6160
• By email - events@fremantle.wa.gov.au
• Online via the submission form below

A hard copy of the survey can be sent or picked up upon request by emailing the Community Engagement team here: events@fremantle.wa.gov.au.

Please note submissions will close on January 30, 2026 at 5pm AWST.