Use of Community Spaces

The event planning toolkit has been designed to assist event organisers in planning and delivering successful, safe events. We encourage you to explore this toolkit to increase your knowledge and competency to run events.

The community events team is available to support and guide members of the community to conduct events in the City of Mount Gambier area.

Council has many accessible parklands perfect for private gatherings, including a family get together, birthday party, wedding ceremony or socialising with friends. If your preferred space is being used by another group please make sure that your group can be easily moved, as exclusive use is not provided for private gatherings.

Council takes great care in providing community spaces for the community to visit and to ensure these locations are maintained at all times, the below list sets out the rules for all private activities:

• items such as chairs, tables and small free standing shades (up to 3m x 3m) are allowed and you are responsible for any safety aspects relating to the items
• use of confetti, rose petals, rice or the release of items and/or materials that can pollute the environment and harm wildlife are not permitted (i.e. helium filled balloons and sky lanterns)
• the area must be left in a clean and tidy condition, with any rubbish removed immediately
• vehicles are not to be driven on grassed areas and any loading/unloading must occur within approved parking zones

It is recommended to check Council’s ‘What’s On’ calendar for a guide to community and major events taking place within the City, noting that this calendar is a guide and may not show all events.

If a major event is on, please note there may be restricted access to the general public or road closures.

Vansittart Park garden area is also a War Memorial area and to ensure due respect is paid to this area Council has created an event Exclusion Zone.

Under no circumstances shall any activity be undertaken within the Vansittart Park Event Exclusion Zone.

Some events and activities on Council land require a Special Events Permit to be issued by Council. A Special Events Permit is required to ensure public safety at events is appropriately managed. Special Events Permit allow Council to monitor activity at community spaces. Approval does not grant exclusive use of the area, and Council or the applicant cannot restrict the public in any way. Major events, on occasion, will have restrictions in place such as road closures or licensed areas allowing limited access.

If your event has one or more of the following activities, you will be required to complete Special Events Permit Application:

• events conducted for the purpose of marketing, promoting or selling a service or product, or for providing entertainment for profit or any commercial activity
• catering of food
• serving of alcohol
• amusement rides
• showing of animals
• marquees
• jumping castles
• access to Council provided services (power and water)
• event (ticketed and non-ticketed)
• 100+ attendance

Special Event Permits will incur a site fee and bond, please refer to the current Schedule of Fees and Charges

Due to the limited vehicle entry points to the Valley Lake/Ketla Malpi, Brownes Lake/Kroweratwari, Leg of Mutton/Yatton Loo and Marist Park on extreme or catastrophic fire ban days these areas will be closed and no event can be held at these locations. On severe fire ban days smoking is not permitted and vehicles are not to park on grassed areas.

The Cave Garden/Thugi and Vansittart Park are dry zone areas and alcohol is not permitted.

Busking on Council land

An application for a Busking Permit can be obtained from Council and must be submitted with valid photo identification. There is no fee payable.

A Busking Permit issued by Council only allows you to busk on Council land. If you wish to busk at local supermarkets, shopping centres or other privately owned properties, permission must be sought from store / centre management.

No permit will be granted to a child under the age of 12. A busking permit may be issued to a parent or guardian on behalf of a child that is aged under 16, but we need written consent from parent or guardian. Any permit granted to a parent or guardian on behalf of a child, is only valid during the daylight hours in which the child is not required to attend school in accordance with the Education Act 1972. The parent or guardian, to whom a permit has been issued on behalf of a child, must accompany the child at all times whilst the child performs.

Once a permit is issued, where am I allowed to busk?

A Busking Permit issued by Council only allows you to busk on Council land. If you wish to busk at Coles, Woolworths, ALDI, Marketplace, Mount Gambier Central or other privately owned properties, permission must be sought from store / centre management.

How old do I have to be to apply for a Busking Permit?

No permit will be granted to a child under the age of 12 years. If you are between the ages of 12 and 15, written consent from a parent or guardian must be submitted to Council with your application and also kept with you while performing.