Community Information Sheet for Events

Published on Wednesday, 8 December 2021 at 3:54:06 PM

BACKGROUND: Event organisers are required by legislation to comply with regulations to ensure public health and safety.


Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know when I need an event approval? If you’re unsure, the easiest thing to do is to contact our Community Services team and have a chat with us about the event you’re planning. The basic rule of thumb is, any event held on Shire property or reserve requires an event approval from the Shire. Any event held on private property which is open to the public, ticketed, or where food and beverages are sold, also requires event approval from the Shire.

Why are approvals like this necessary? It’s all about ensuring the appropriate safety and licensing actions have been taken and prepared for in the interests of our community’s health and safety.

Why is it important for me to go through the event approval process? Events that don’t meet relevant legislative requirements void their public liability insurance, which can make the event organiser personally liable for any accident, injury or incident that may occur during the event. This is why Local Governments manage an events approval process, to help event organisers avoid this potential problem.

How long does the application process normally take? We ask applicants to allow a minimum of 30 days but it may take up to 80 days for complex applications to be processed, in cases where there are delays liaising with authorities such as MainRoads WA or Liquor Licensing. We encourage event organisers to contact us and talk through their requirements and concerns.

What can I do to make the process go smoothly? The best thing to do is to contact our Community Services team. We’re here to help event organisers get the necessary approvals so our community can enjoy safe events all year round. We’ve done a lot of work in recent years to streamline the online application process, but if you need assistance our team is available to support you.

Has Covid-19 added any additional requirements to planning an event? The short answer is yes. Our Community Services team will gladly talk you through it.

Useful Links:
Planning an Event in Denmark - www.denmark.wa.gov.au/planning-an-event 
Covid-19 Events - https://www.wa.gov.au/government/document-collections/covid-19-coronavirus-events 

Back to All News