Before you book a park or garden

When do you need to submit a booking?

Gatherings with less than 50 people that don’t involve any external businesses or infrastructure, don’t need a booking.

You need to submit a booking request and pay a booking fee when your activity or event involves any of the following:

50 or more people (adults and children)
external contractors and businesses for things like children’s entertainment or food and drink providers
bringing in infrastructure (including more than one shade structure or one larger than 3 m x 3 m, generators and stages)
a wedding ceremony.

Discover our bookable outdoor spaces or book directly through our booking portal:

Discover our spaces

Submit a booking

General booking information

What an outdoor booking does not include

Non-permitted items and activities

There are some items we do not allow at our spaces.

Notice required

How much notice you need to give us depends on the event and number of people.

Event type	Notice required
50-100 people No additional infrastructure No external contractors	5 full business days
50-100 people With additional infrastructure and/or external contractors	2 weeks
Weddings	4 weeks
100 to 200 people	6 weeks
More than 200 people	8 weeks

Booking fees

There is a booking fee to hire our parks, gardens, sportsgrounds and pavilions.

Park and garden booking fees

Venue	Fees
Alexandra Gardens, Canterbury Gardens, Surrey Gardens	$164.50 per hour (includes exclusive use of the rotunda)
Central Gardens and Maranoa Botanic Gardens	$164.50 per hour
All other parks and gardens	$164.50 per 4-hour block*

*Booking fee is charged in 4-hour blocks, not hours. For example, a 5-hour booking is charged as 2 blocks ($329).

Sportsground and facility booking fees

Type of space	Fees (per hour)
Sportsgrounds	$71.50
Pavilions and halls	$72.50

For information on recurring school and sport club bookings, visit Sportsground bookings for schools and Sportsground bookings for clubs.

Bonds

You will need to pay a bond if:

you are holding an event that risks damaging the park
you need a swipe card or key to access the venue.

Type of bond	Bond amount	When is the bond refunded?
Event bond	Minimum $200, depending on the risk	4 weeks after the event, if there is no damage to the space.
Swipe card or key bond	$200	After you return the swipe card or key.

Bond refunds

The site must be cleaned and undamaged for an event bond refund.
If there is waste or damage, we may retain funds to cover the clean up or repairs.
If you paid a key bond, this is refunded once the key is returned.

Cancellation policy

To cancel your booking, email [email protected] and include:

your booking ID
the date of your booking
the 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 Council
less than 10 days before the booking date, the booking fee and bond will be forfeited to Council and you will not receive a refund
due to harsh weather, such as rain or extreme heat, we will issue you with a 12-month booking credit instead of a refund.

Bringing in temporary structures

Marquees, arbours and chuppahs

Chairs and tables

Approval for other temporary structures

You need a temporary structures permit if you plan to bring structures such as seating stands, tents, stages, and lighting.

A temporary structures permit is required for items such as:

seating stands
tents
stages
guard rails
lighting and stage rigging.

Cost: $310

Processing time: up to 10 weeks

Application form: Application for prescribed temporary structures

Larger structures require additional approval from the Victorian Building Authority. See our Organise an outdoor event guide for details.

You will need a minimum of $20 million in public liability insurance if you are hiring infrastructure for your event.

We don't allow temporary structures to be pegged or staked in the ground. Temporary structures must be weighed down with sandbags or water weights.

Other requirements

Using external contractors

This includes businesses such as children's entertainers and food or beverage sellers.

You will need approval for any external contractors you plan to hire for your gathering. Please include this information in your initial booking request.

As part of the approval process, you will need to provide a copy of each business’s public liability insurance (minimum $20 million coverage).

You may also require additional permits and documentation for food and drink traders.

We do not allow external contractors vehicle access into our open spaces (including food trucks). External contractors may use Council footpaths, roads and car parks, which will require an Occupy Council controlled land permit.

Permits

Some activities will require additional permits.

Filming and photography

You need a permit for any commercial and student filming and photography.

Processing time: up to 4 weeks.

Apply for a filming on Council-land permit.

Fundraising

You need a fundraising permit for any fundraising activities. This includes community organisations and not-for-profits.

Apply for a fundraising permit.

Use of a council road, car park or footpath

You need a permit to close or occupy a Council road, footpath or car park as part of your booking. See the Organise an Event on Council land page for more details.

All permits come with additional fees.