Planning an Event in Greater Dandenong

The City of Greater Dandenong encourages and supports festivals and events as a way to celebrate and showcase the rich cultural diversity of our community.

The Festivals and Events Team can assist you in helping deliver a safe and enjoyable event - contact them at events@cgd.vic.gov.au or via Customer Service on 8571 1000.

Preparing for your event 

If you plan to hold an event in an outdoor public space in the City of Greater Dandenong, you must apply for an event permit if:

• The event will likely attract more than 30 people.
• Includes marquees/tents, stage, amusements, or attractions
• Includes market stalls, food stalls or food trucks trading in a public outdoor space. 
• Requires reserving Council land or facilities
• Is ticketed or charges entry
• Includes fireworks in a public outdoor space.

Events not meeting these criteria may be considered a casual booking. Casual bookings are low-risk, informal gatherings of less than 30 people, such as picnics, regular sporting fixtures, or gatherings with little or no equipment. If you believe your event is a casual booking, please apply for the Casual use of a park, reserve or sports ground. 

If your event requires an event permit: 

1. Ensure your venue is booked. Submit the Intention to hold an event or contact the Festivals and Events Team to confirm availability of the venue.
2. Apply for the Casual use of a park, reserve or sports ground, unless using Harmony Square, Springvale Community Hub, Multicultural Place, or Noble Park Skate Park.
3. An Officer from the Festivals and Events Team will then be assigned to support your event permit application.
4. Submit the required Event Permit Documents (refer to the Event Permit section).

If you want to deliver your event at Council indoor venues, please visit Council owned venues. Please note that if your indoor event has some outdoor activation, you may require an event permit.

For events on private land, please visit Private land. 

Jumping castles and inflatables

Council is committed to ensuring the safety of our community at events. In response to the recent tragic incident in Tasmania involving a jumping castle no events on Council land will be able to include jumping castles or inflatables until the Tasmanian case is investigated. This includes Council events, community-run events and birthday parties.

Event Permit

Depending on the type of event you wish to hold, a range of event documents and other approvals may be required to obtain an Event Permit from Council. Use the following Risk Matrix to determine the event type and when event documents need to be submitted:

Small Event – Minimum of 5 weeks 

• 30-200 attendees
• Minimal or no infrastructure (marquees), attractions, and rides on event site.
• No food vendors serving public or waste management required 
• Minimal noise impact
• No alteration or impact on traffic, motor vehicles, and parking.
• No power required and no impact to usual amenities 

Medium Event - Minimum of 10 weeks 

• 201-1000 attendees
• 1-2 infrastructure (marquees), small staging, attractions, and rides on event site.
• 1-2 food vendors serving public and 1-5 bins for waste management required 
• Stage or live music
• Traffic advice required or moderate/substantial vehicle traffic impacting the area 
• Power required and may be impact to usual amenities.

Large Event - Minimum of 12 weeks

• 1001 attendees or more
• 3 or more infrastructure (marquees), attractions, and rides on event site.
• 3 or more food vendors and 1-5 bins for waste management required 
• Stage or live music
• Road closures needed
• Power required and may be impact to usual amenities
• Alcohol served or for sale
• Fireworks permit required
• Place of Public Entertainment (POPE) permit required

If you are unsure, please contact the Festivals and Events Team at events@cgd.vic.gov.au.

Event Permit Documents

Submit the following:

• Event Application Form - 133KB 
• Risk Management - 71KB. See a completed Risk Management example here, Example - Risk Management - 3MB 
• Public Liability Insurance or Certificate of Currency of at least $20 Million 
• Event Site Map or Plan
• Event Emergency Procedures – 28KB 
• Food stalls list with FoodTrader registration numbers (for events where food is sold)
  • Only organisations registered on FoodTrader can trade at events 
  • Fixed premises must apply for mobile premise on Foodtrader if they would like to trade outside of their premises.
  • Ensure all food stalls have submitted a 'Statement of Trade' for the event date on the Foodtrader website at the latest one week prior to the event.
• Traffic Management Plan (for events with street or road closures).
  • The Road Safety Act 1986 requires that any person undertaking works or events on a road must have in operation a traffic management plan. Include plans showing the location of the works or event and all proposed traffic management around the works or event including arrangements for pedestrians and cyclists.
  • In accordance with the updated the Road Management Act 2004 (Code of Practice for Worksite Safety - Traffic Management) (CoP), all events that impact vehicle or pedestrian traffic will require a Traffic Management Plan prepared by an external ‘Traffic Management Designer’ and the use of accredited traffic controllers at the full cost of the applicant.
• Fireworks Permit and Documents (for events with fireworks)
  • To have a fireworks display in a public place, a Fireworks Display permit needs to be obtained from Council. Read more about Fireworks Display Permits.