Event Planning

Choosing the correct location for your event is an extremely important part of planning your event. The Campbelltown LGA has a wide variety of locations that can be used for a range of different events.

Each individual site comes with its own limitations, including the types of events that can be hosted, the capacity, on site parking, power and amenities. Ensure you read through all of the information relevant to the site you are interested in.

The application form will ask you for your preferred event date, however we highly recommend choosing an additional two alternative date options for your event as there is a chance your preferred date may not be available.

Once you have determined these dates, please contact Campbelltown Council's Events team to determine if your chosen dates are available.

Campbelltown City is a busy city and here at Council we are mindful not to host too many large scaled events at the same time. The Events team will do their best to assist you in finding the perfect date and venue to suit your event and target audience.

Please remember to allow scheduled time for set up and pack down when filling in your application form to ensure no other bookings are made during the time you require to set up and pack down.

The larger your event, the more requirements you may have to meet, such as additional toilets, waste facilities and security.

Please carefully consider your event numbers prior to submitting your application form and be as specific as you can regarding your expected attendance both overall and at any one time.

It is crucial that you have all of the correct insurance information ready to go before beginning your application.

It is a requirements that all involved parties have Public Liability insurance to the value of $20 million. Please ensure a copy of your current Certificate of Currency is provided with your application, noting Campbelltown City Council as an interested party.

You will also be required to collect and submit all relevant insurances from all stallholders, contractors and people providing goods or services at your event. This can include (but is not limited to) contractors that provide marquees, stages, toilets, sound, lighting, amusement devises, fireworks displays, cleaners, security and first aid as well as food and market stall vendors.

This step is extremely important and cannot be overlooked. This is your responsibility as the event organiser to enforce that all of the right insurances are in place for your event and this will be checked by our Event Officers to ensure that all of your risk and safety responsibilities are managed appropriately at your event.

How can Council help to promote your event?

Road side banners

Council has some prominent banner locations in high traffic areas within the Campbelltown Local Government Area (LGA). Council allows roadside banners in specific locations to promote community events, programs or services that offer a community benefit. The banner advertising opportunity is provided at no cost to community groups wishing to display a banner.

A limited number of approved banner sites are available in the Campbelltown LGA including;

1) Menangle Road, Campbelltown

2) Narellan Road, Campbelltown

3) Appin Road, Bradbury

4) Badgally Road, Eagle Vale

5) Raby Road, Raby

6) Campbelltown Rd, St Andrews Campbelltown Road, Minto

You can apply to secure one of these banner locations via the Street Trading Application Form. Please note approval is not guaranteed.

Your banner design will need to be attached to your application and approved by Council. Banners can be printed by a printer of your choice.

Who needs to know about your event?

Consider your target market and the best way to engage those groups. A mix of different advertising mediums usually works best for community style events, including: · Newspaper · Facebook · Instagram · Website marketing · Posters, flyers, banners · Paid letterbox drops · Media releases · Local radio or television ads · Petrol pumps · Billboards at local shopping centres.

Local media contacts that may be useful:

Clear and uniform signage will add to the aesthetic appeal of your event as well as highlight all the major aspects of your event.

Having clear directional signage at the event will make it easier for attendees to find their way around your event and to easily locate essential areas such as restrooms and First Aid etc.

Regardless of the size of your event, it is likely that you will need to have set aside an area where your staff and volunteers can meet for debriefs and/or meetings, as well as run the operations of your event. This needs to be detailed on your site map.

There are four requirements for the Event Operations Centre (EOC):

• A representative of the event organisation must be present in the EOC and must be able to contact the event organiser at all times
• The representative must be authorised and prepared to act on behalf of the event organiser in all matters
• Those present must be able to immediately address any problems arising during the event
• The event organiser must be responsible for the logging of incidents throughout the event

If applicable, a lost children location must be provided and ensure operators have current Working with Children Permits.

Council encourages inclusive events in our community. Planning inclusive events and considering the needs of people with disability can often seem overwhelming. Involving people with disability is the best way to plan an inclusive event.

Just remember that every person with a disability is different. What may work for one person, won’t work for all. Be open to suggestions and feedback from people with disability or disability organisations. They can really help you to see events through their eyes.

Check out Council’s Inclusive Events Guidelines for more simple and practical ways to look at our event through an inclusive lens.

Event organisers and amusement operators must comply with all requirements set out relevant Australia Standards and Legislation.

More information can be found on the Safework NSW Website.

Temporary structures including tents, marquees, booths, stalls and fencing are permitted on parks and sporting fields providing they meet NSW Government Legislation standards and that all details of the temporary structures are provided at the time of your application.

We have included a brief outline of the standards below:

• Each tent, marquee or booth must not have a total floor area exceeding 300m2
• No tent or marquee can have a wall height exceeding 4m and the highest point of the marquee must not exceed 6m
• Each tent, marquee or booth must be erected at ground level

All marquees must be weighted down with weights on each leg of the marquee, pegs are not permitted in council grounds unless pre-approval has been given. Any marquee that is larger than 300m2 will require structural drawings and technical specifications. Your Events Officer may request this information at any stage.

Handy link: NSW Government Legislation Website

If you are planning entertainment at your event, you may require a stage. It is easy to arrange staging at your event through many of the local staging providers, however there are some NSW legislation standards that need to be followed.

We have included a brief outline of the standards below:

• Staging must be less than 50m2 and not exceed 2m off the ground
• Stage must be erected at ground level

A notice indicating the actual distributed and concentrated load for which the stage or platform has been designed must be conspicuously displayed on the stage or platform. A link has been provided on our website Want to hold an outdoor event page for full details on the NSW Government Legislations for Subdivision 9 Stages or platforms for community events.

If your stage is less than 50m2 and is above 1m off the ground you will simply need to provide details of the size, location, staging provider and any other relevant details at the time of your application. If your stage is over this size, a structural drawing will be required along with technical specifications. For further details, please contact your Council Events Officer.

Handy link: NSW Government Legislation Website.

We all like to have fun with music and sound often being a key features at most events. We ask you to provide us with your entertainment plan which includes the type of sound system you will be using (if applicable) during your event.

You will need to consider the following when planning the entertainment at your event:

• Start and finish time of the sound or music at your event
• Are there surrounding houses that may affected by this noise?
• Is there wildlife that may be affected by this noise?

Suggested times for events in parks/reserves within residential areas are:

Sunday to Thursday 7am to 11pm.

• All amplifed noise to cease by 10pm.
• All activities associated with the event and all persons to vacate the site by 11pm

Friday and Saturday 7am to midnight

• All amplifed noise to cease by 11pm
• All activities associated with the event and all persons to vacate the site by midnight

If you have questions relating to noise levels at your event location, please refer to the neighbourhood noise restriction brochure provided on our website Want to hold an outdoor event page or contact your Council Event Officer.

Do I need water? The answer is generally yes!

Access to water may be required to service portable toilets or provide portable water for consumption at portable drinking stations and may vary from park to park depending on the irrigation system.

Pre-approval is required for access to water and we stronger recommend the event organiser contact Council to see if your preferred event location has water available. If it does, please include this request in your event application form.

Things to consider:

• Will you or are you required to offer free drinking water or is it currently available in the park?
• Do food vendors need water for hand washing and general operations?
• Do temporary toilets need to be connected to water?
• Does the cleaning contractor need access to water?
• All drinking water must be portable.

How many toilets will I need? This number is dependent on the type of event you are hosting and the expected number of attendees. Toilets are often available at event sites, please see the venue section of this toolkit to see if your preferred event location already has permanent toilets available.

Below is a guide to assist you with arranging sufficient toilets for your event.

The Building Code of Australia also recommends at least one unisex toilet for patrons with a disability at each group of toilet facilities.

Details of power supply arrangements will need to be provided i.e. use of generators or private agreement with Endeavour Energy to install a temporary power supply to the event.

Silenced generators are a great way to allow you to structure your event site exactly how you would like it.

Generators must be silenced 4 stroke generators that have a current test and tag certification. All electrical leads must also be tested and tagged by a licensed electrician and secured at least 1.8 metres above ground level or safely protected on the ground to prevent trip hazards. All electrical wiring and equipment must be protected from exposure to water.

All generators must be clearly labelled on your site plan.

Currently, Council event sites do not have electricity available to the community.

Depending on the permanent lighting structures at your chosen event location, you may require additional lighting.

This may include lighting towers, marquee lighting or decorative lighting. Think about the time of day/night that you will be setting up, packing up and presenting your event. Carefully consider the types of activities that will take place, the various event zones and the existing natural or structural lighting. Lighting is an important safety aspect for everyone on site before, during and after the event.

Any electrical installations being carried out on site must be certified by a licensed electrical contractor and be sure to include any proposed lighting in your site map.

The inclusion of animals at events is a common request, for example, animal farms, pony rides, petting zoos, native wildlife displays. There are various animal welfare acts, regulations and Codes of practice that must be upheld, as detailed by the NSW Department of Primary industries:

www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/animals-andlivestock/animal-welfare

www.rspcansw.org.au

https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/factsheets/Pages/petting-zoos-and-personal-hygiene.aspx

To ensure that animal welfare and hygiene requirements are considered and managed appropriately at events, organisers are required to ensure that the animals involved in their events are chosen for their suitability and not subjected to injury, suffering, distress or excessive disturbance and public health interest is adhered to.

You will definitely need to consider First Aid when planning your event. It is a requirement for event organisers to provide First Aid to deal with any injuries and illness that may occur at your event.

The number of trained First Aid staff will depend on the size and type of event you are hosting. You will be required to submit the details of the number of first aid officers or suitably trained first aiders that will be on site.

Larger events will be required to submit a first aid and emergency response plan. First Aid stations should be easily accessible and clearly identifiable.

Ensure that your First Aid team are provided with a site map and are well briefed prior to the event.

If you plan on selling or serving alcohol at your event, it is your responsibility as the event organiser to apply for a Limited Liquor Licence. We strongly recommend you contact the local Police prior to applying for the Limited Liquor Licence, as they will be able to provide up to date information and support for your application.

An alcohol and drug management plan is required to be submitted along with an approved Limited Liquor Licence.

If your event is granted a Limited Liquor Licence, this must be submitted to Council and the Licencing Police prior to event approval being issued.

For public safety reasons, alcohol is not to be sold or supplied in glass containers.

Unfortunately, alcohol consumption can attract other illegal substances and it is required that you have a process and plan in place to deal with such an issue.

Preferably, Council does not want to promote any alcohol (or drugs) at any event and reserves the right to prohibit the consumption or sale of alcohol in respect of any event.

If you are planning on ending your event with a fireworks display then we need to know more about the details of your fireworks displays at the time of your application. This must include:

• Details of the licensed pyro technician delivering the service
• Date and location of the fireworks display
• Duration of the fireworks display
• Risk management plan for the fireworks display
• Proof of notification to local Police and Fire Station
• Proof of notification to Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) and Air Services Australia

It is recommended that event organisers visit the SafeWork NSW website for detailed information on the notification process.

Handy links: 

https://www.casa.gov.au/

http://www.airservicesaustralia.com/

It is your responsibility to leave the site and its facilities in a clean and tidy condition. You are required to arrange waste and recycling bins as well as dispose of waste generated at the event.

We are here to help! Our Waste Service Team are able to assist with the delivery and pick up of waste bins including disposing of event waste. If you are interested in this service, you can advise us in the waste section of your application form. Once we receive this request we will contact you. Fees apply for this service.

As a general rule of thumb, events generate approximately one litre of waste per person, per meal.

The table below provides a recommended number of 240L bins for events that span one meal time. The numbers should be multiplied based on the number of meal times the event will go over.

It is important that you have a plan in place to effectively manage food vendors and stallholders at your event.

It is your responsibility to ensure all stallholders hold appropriate levels of public liability insurance, provide quality products and have a safe stall set up. All marquees must be weighted down with weights on each leg of the marquee, pegs are not permitted in council grounds unless pre-approval has been given.

Will there be Mobile Food Vehicles at your event?

We want to make it easier for our mobile food vehicles to trade at our community events. Prior to trading within Campbelltown local government area, all mobile food vehicles need to be registered with Council and have a satisfactory Food Premises Assessment Report (FPAR) that is no more than 12 months old can be acquired from any council within NSW. This FPAR must be valid at the time of your event.

If a mobile food vehicle has not been registered with Campbelltown City Council, event organisers are to ensure all mobile food vendors download and complete the Mobile Food Vehicle Business Registration Form which is available on our Mobile Food Vehicles webpage and return this form with a recent FPAR and a valid Food Safety Supervisor Certificate (if applicable) via email to council@campbelltown.nsw.gov.au

If your mobile food vehicle is registered with Campbelltown City Council, please ensure we receive a copy of the Food Registration Certificate/Licence Number with a recent FPAR so we can include this with your event application.

If you cannot provide a recent FPAR or your food vehicle has not been inspected, Councils Environmental Health Officers will conduct a food inspection at the event that will incur a food inspection fee. Please refer to Councils Fees and Charges for inspection fees.

At any time throughout the event if you are found to be non-compliant with the Food Standards Code in accordance with the Food Act 2003 (even though you have a recent and satisfactory FPAR), our Environmental Health Officers may inspect your mobile food vehicle and an inspection fee will be applicable.

Do you plan on having Temporary Food Stalls at your event?

As part of running an event in the Campbelltown City Local Government Area each temporary food stall that will be in attendance on the day of your event are required to fill in and submit an application to conduct a temporary food stall.  If you are a temporary food stall trading at our events, our Environmental Health Officers may inspect your stall at each event. This is due to the temporary nature of your stall set-up and the requirement to ensure your food preparation area meets the required standards. The operation of all temporary food stalls must be carried out in accordance with the Food Act 2003, Food Regulation 2015, Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code and Councils Requirements for the Operation of Temporary Food Stalls.

Submit your application now 

Councils Environmental Health Officers will conduct a food inspection at the event that will incur a food inspection fee. Please refer to Councils Fees and Charges for inspection fees.

Food Safety Supervisor (if applicable)

Food businesses (includes temporary food stalls and mobile food vehicles) selling ready-to-eat potentially hazardous foods are required by law to appoint a Food Safety Supervisor that has undertaken food safety training at a registered training organisation approved by the NSW Food Authority. Food Safety Supervisors Certificates expire 5 years from the date of issue. Please ensure that your Food Safety Supervisor Certificate is valid.

For further information, complete the necessary training or to refresh your Certificate please refer to the NSW Food Authority webpage.

How do I effectively manage stallholders?

Research suitable stallholders and invite them to participate at your event or you may choose to do an Expression of Interest form and invite stallholders to apply for your event.

Work out the area you will set aside for Stallholders. You will need to decide how many sites you will have available and the size of each site. For example you may have 3mx3m sites for stalls and larger 3mx6m sites for Food Trucks.

Once you’ve confirmed your stallholders, you’ll need to send them a confirmation that contains all of the event details including event date, event time, parking, arrival and departure time, bump in/out procedures and maps, waste management procedure and any other relevant event information.

It’s a good idea to remind your stallholders what equipment they will need to supply on the day, for example marquee weights, generator etc. Set your expectations out very clearly, this will reduce the possibility of Stallholder issues on the day of the event.

If you have food stallholders it is your responsibility to ensure that they’ve received the appropriate approvals from Council to trade in the Campbelltown Local Government area. For further information on this please contact Council Events team.

Plan for the event

Ensure you create an event map and allocate space for the stallholders. This map will be required at the time of your application and will assist you with planning your event layout to ensure you have enough space for each activity.