Venue hire

1. Pick your venue
2. Reserve your venue in consultation with the Events team
3. Prepare and lodge your documentation
4. Payment of fees and charges

Timeframes may vary depending on the scale and nature of your event and are to be use as a guide only. The NCA reserves the right to charge a late fee or reject an application if the below minimum timeframes are not met.

The NCA manages multiple venues, suitable for a wide range of events. Our Venues include Acton Peninsula, Anzac Parade, Queen Elizabeth II Island, Commonwealth Park, Stage 88, Commonwealth Place, Constitution Place, East and West Lawns, Federation Mall, John Dunmore Lang Place, Kings Park, Lake Burley Griffin and its islands, Lindsay Pryor Arboretum, Magna Carta Place, National Triangle, National Rose Gardens, Old Parliament House Gardens, Patrick White Lawns, Regatta Point, Rond Terrace and Yarramundi.

Your event is assessed on the suitability of the venue. Please be sure to take venue limitations into consideration when booking and planning your event. Unsuitability of a venue for an event will cause delays is the application process and may lead to your application being denied.

After receiving your venue enquiry the events team will email you to confirm availability, suitability of the venue and provide you with an application package. In the package you will find:

• Lodgement timelines
• A list of documentation required specific to your event
• Documentation templates 
• A quote of fees and charges.

To submit a Venue Enquiry please fill in and email this Event Permit Application Form and a copy of your Public Liability insurance to events@nca.gov.au

Once you have reserved your venue and if you plan to have structures/services at your event, you will need to apply for Works Approval.

Public Liability Insurance (PLI)

A copy of your Public Liability Insurance (Minimum $20 million) is required with each event application. Your PLI is to be current for the period of your event (including bump in and bump out).

Event Operations Plan

Event Operations Plan should provide detailed information of the event to give the assessments officer a understanding of your event.

The following information is recommended for inclusion (but not limited to):

• Event Profile / Overview
• Venue Management / Run Sheet
• Contact list of event organisers and contractors
• Emergency / Safety Management Plan (including weather contingency)
• Details of traders
• First Aid Details
• Waste Management Plan including map indicating the area of litter pick
• Parking and Transport Plan (including Action Buses and Uber/Taxi Services)
• Details on crowd management, capacity, crowd flow, ingress and egress
• Security Plan

Risk Management Plan

This plan needs to identify all potential risks associated with holding your event and how you plan to mitigate these. All events have risks involved, but if your event is large or complex you will need to have your plan completed by a professional.

COVID Safe Plan

A COVID Safe Plan (including an event specific Check In CBR QR Code) will be required to be submitted to the NCA for consideration. Larger events may require ACT Health COVID Exemptions prior to proceeding.

Site Map

A map of the venue detailing the proposed layout of your event. 

Route Map

A map of the events intended route (if applicable)

Works Approval

A Works Approval application is required to be submitted if you intend to erect any structures at the venue.

Application for 14 or more days

If you plan to erect structures for events more than 14 days including bump in and out a will need to be submitted. Information on costs associated with a WAeL application can be found at the webpage.

If you plan to erect structures for events less than 14 days including Bump in and out, please fill in and submit a Works Approval Application. Be sure to list sizes and amount of all marquees, stages, toilets etc. Also include road closure signage, coffee vans, display vehicles, generators lighting towers etc.

Depending on the type and size of structure specs and/or engineering certification may be required. The events team will advise you once your works approval application is submitted.

Stakeholder Report

You will need to consult with key stakeholders and provide NCA Events with a Consultation Report detailing any issues or concerns, and how these issues will be resolved.
A stakeholder list will be sent to you with your application package.

Crowded Places Strategy

Depending on the size and venue, your event may require a Crowded Places Strategy. Please see Australia's Strategy for Protecting Crowded Places from Terrorism to determine whether a Crowded Places Strategy Plan is required for your event.

Other Approvals

Temporary Traffic Management Plan and Approval

If your event requires a road, shared path or car park closure, you will need to provide the NCA with a Temporary Traffic Management Plan and Approval. 

The NCA will advise you on this during the planning process:

• Road Closures need to be finalised at least 4 weeks in advance of the event date
• By law any activity that requires a road closure must be publicly advertised to the event taking place at least seven days prior

Regardless of the size of the closure, the event organiser is required to contact:

• Roads ACT, Territory and Municipal Services Directorate on 6207 6601
• Australian Federal Police Major Event Planning Unit on 6287 0219

The Temporary Traffic Management Plan identifies where roads need to be closed and the appropriate detours required to maintain the flow of traffic. Roads ACT will design the traffic management plan, regardless of where the event takes place. Once the plan has been designed and approved copies issued to the Australian Federal Police and NCA Events Coordination Officer, the event organisers are then responsible (with police assistance, if necessary) for the implementation of the plan.

The event organiser must also:

• liaise with any institution or business that may be effected by a road closure
• supply the NCA with a letter from the relevant institution, or business, stating its acceptance of the closure

Signs and Barriers

It is the responsibility of the event organisers to:

• procure, place and recover road closure signage and barricades
• pay for them
• implement the closure on the event day with the appropriate signage, traffic marshals etc

Road Closure Notices

These are created and placed in the Public Notices section of The Canberra Times by:

• the NCA for activities on National Land
• the NCA for activities jointly on National and Territory Land (or Designated Areas)
• Roads ACT Branch (ACT Urban Services) for activities elsewhere within the ACT

To allow for drawing-up and appropriate submission time, advice on road closures is to be with the NCA 4 weeks in advance of the event taking place. 

Public Notices are published in the Saturday edition of the Canberra Times, one week before the event.

Traffic Marshals

It is the responsibility of the event organisers to allocate personnel to act as marshals for the activity and to brief them on their duties and responsibilities. Organisers of events are to provide Roads ACT the following information prior to the day of the event:

• the full names of the personnel allocated to the marshal duties
• the contact details of the personnel allocated to the marshal duties

Roads ACT will advise event organisers on the requirements for traffic marshals.

If your event will have any of the following please contact Access Canberra at www.accesscanberra.act.gov.au for permits and approvals:

• Liquor
• Food service
• Environmental Application (noise permits)
• ACT Government Land Use Approval.

A copy of all approvals must be submitted as part of your application.

If you would like to discuss Event fees and charges with a member of our Events team, please email events@nca.gov.au or phone (02) 6272 2901.

The National Capital Authority (NCA) is responsible for the management of some of Canberra's most nationally and culturally significant landscapes and attractions. We are keen to see National Land used and enjoyed by visitors and Canberra residents alike for a range of recreational uses. We do, however, need to ensure an appropriate balance of public access to National Land with the protection of national assets.

To prevent damage to natural and built assets, and to avoid interference to others, we ask everyone using these areas to abide by the following guidelines.

Your assistance in these matters is greatly appreciated. For further information and advice, please contact the NCA Estate team on 6271 2888.

Conditions for use of venues are issued through the National Land (Unleased) Ordinance 2022 or through various licences or leases. A range of conditions of use may apply depending on the venue, the size and the complexity of the event. Conditions of use include:

• safety and health
• insurances including public liability
• works approval for any  structures
• external approvals
• noise requirements
• waste management
• parking and traffic management
• access
• lighting
• alcohol
• landscape and other asset maintenance or repairs
• risk management

Estate usage guidelines

Do

• Leave the area as you found it;
• Drive vehicles only on roads and park in designated parking areas;
• Use grass areas for training, but please alternate areas and movement patterns to avoid creating tracks;
• Use paths for walking and running-based exercise;
• Collect all waste and liquids in suitable containers and dispose of them properly;
• Obtain a works approval before inserting pegs or stakes into the land, erecting large structures or affixing any item, sign or poster to buildings, guardrails, flagpoles, heritage features or other fixed structures. Click here for the Event Permit Application Form.
• Show respect for the public space and share the space with other users.

Don't

• Drive or park on grassed or landscaped areas. From 1 October 2014, NCA Parking Inspectors will monitor National Land in the central parts of Canberra, and you will be fined for this offence
• Drag heavy items across wet ground or grass
• Use stone-paved areas for impact generating activities (eg. medicine ball throwing, log/tyre flipping)
• Use trees, bollards, balustrades, signs, or flagpoles for weight-bearing activities
• Use stone-paved retaining walls for any exercise. Many of these products are expensive to repair. They are designed for general public use, not repeated high impact use
• Use any memorial, artwork or other commemorative work as part of your exercise routine
• Write on, or mark, walls or paved areas.

Legislation and policies

• National Capital Plan
• National Land (Unleased) Ordinance 2022
• National Land (Road Transport) Ordinance 2014 (the Ordinance)
• Lake Burley Griffin and Adjacent Lands Heritage Management Plan
• Roads and Public Places Ordinance 1925

Can I use a drone?

No. The National Triangle is a no-fly zone unless specific permits from CASA are obtained. Please contact events@nca.gov.au for further information.

What is a structure?

• Tentage (eg. marquees, tents, sun-shelters, pop-up marquees)
• Amusement structures (eg. jumping castles, merry-go-rounds, train rides, ferries wheels etc.)
• Fencing, barriers, barricades, bunting, star pickets, stakes and/or staked arches
• Screens, stages, dais' and/or platforms
• Portable toilets
• Scaffolding (including screen supports, sound towers and/or camera towers)
• Water buoys
• Signage, flags and/or banners
• Vehicles and concession vans.

Parking for events?

All attendees to your event should be aware that it is an offence under the National Land (Road Transport) Ordinance 2014 to park a vehicle on open space in the area where your event is being held. 

Open space is any area that is not designed for the movement or parking of motor vehicles, such as grassed areas, footpaths and landscaped areas. 

The NCA will be enforcing parking regulations for the duration of this event, and attendees should ensure they park legally to avoid the risk of an infringement being issued to their vehicle.

Click here for more information on parking in the National Triangle.

Picnic and Garden Parties?

Can I use confetti?

Rose or flower petal confetti is welcome. The use of any other form of confetti on National Land will not be approved as it is damaging to the environment and can harm local wildlife.

Am I able to have alcohol at my event?

Yes, you can serve alcohol but you cannot sell alcohol without obtaining a liquor licence. Glass is prohibited on National Land so drinks must be served from plastic.

Does my booking include the Rose Gardens Kiosk?

No, if you would like to use the kiosks, please let us know. Additional fees for Kiosk hire will apply.

Can I have signage for my events?

Yes, you can but there are some restrictions – signs must be small and free standing. This means they cannot be staked into the ground or attached to any trees, gates, light poles, fences, bollards etc. your signage must be removed after your event.

Can I hang decorations from trees?

No. Most trees on National Land are of heritage significance. In order to protect the trees, the NCA will not allow anything to be hung from them.

Is there power available at the venues?

Yes. A $500 bond per key must be paid when you collect the keys. Keys are available the Wednesday before your event from the NCA reception at Treasury Building, King Edward Terrace, Parkes.

When are the Roses in the Old Parliament House looking their best?

The gardens are in full bloom in October.

If you need further assistance with the registering and approval of your event on National Land contact the NCA Events Team.

Email: events@nca.gov.au
Phone: (02) 6272 2901

Street Address

National Capital Authority
Ground Floor, Treasury Building
King Edward Terrace, Parkes ACT 2600