Sundowner Summer: beachside suburbs catch nightlife wave
Friday, 4 July 2025
In the latest push to bring Sydney’s night-time economy back to life, the Minns Labor Government is supporting Manly and Cronulla to establish Special Entertainment Precincts.
The re-prioritisation of entertainment in these iconic suburbs aims to usher in a new era reminiscent of the days when beachside pubs and surf clubs hosted bands like INXS, Midnight Oil and The Angels.
Building on Manly and Cronulla’s reputation for surf and natural beauty, this will boost entertainment and culture before and after dark, providing more vibrancy for locals and a bigger drawcard for visitors.
Manly and Cronulla will join a pipeline of NSW suburbs and towns that are establishing entertainment precincts to boost nightlife and trade.
The state’s first ever Special Entertainment Precinct was made permanent on Enmore Road in December 2023 which has led to boosted foot traffic, business revenue, night-time visitation and 84% support in a local community survey.
Since then, local councils in Burwood, Farfield, Hornsby, the Inner West, City of Sydney and Byron Bay have announced they are establishing Special Entertainment Precinct trials. 14 other councils have also formally expressed interest in establishing of entertainment precincts.
The NSW Government’s Special Entertainment Precinct initiative allows councils to extend trading hours and tailor sound rules within a designated area so individual operators can take up those conditions without the costly process of amending their individual development consents.
Once established, Special Entertainment Precincts allow councils to future proof their entertainment precincts by notifying residents and prospective home buyers that they will be living in a defined area where later trading hours and higher levels of sound are supported by council.
Northern Beaches Council will receive funding under the NSW Government’s SEP Kickstart Grant program ($173,760) to establish a trial in Manly’s Corso to future-proof its unique local identity, culture, visitor infrastructure, status as an established night-time precinct and events like Winterfest.
Cronulla’s town centre will also become a SEP trial area with Sutherland Shire Council awarded a SEP Kickstart Grant ($200,000) which will support the council’s long-term vision for a thriving, vibrant and safe night-time economy to extend popular daytime visitation into night-time activity and deliver a better mix of entertainment options like recent Cronulla Jazz and Blues Festival.
Rolling out Special Entertainment Precincts across NSW is one of many tools the Minns Labor Government is using to rebuild a vibrant and safe night-time economy after a decade of lockouts and overregulation by the former Liberal Government.
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Minister for Music and the Night-time Economy John Graham said:
“In the 80s and 90s our beachside suburbs were a huge part of the iconic pub rock scene. It’s time to bring some of that back, but in a way that meets today’s culture.
“Beautiful beaches and great nightlife don’t have to be mutually exclusive.
“I congratulate the Manly and Cronulla councils for taking this important step to boosting their night-time economies. Getting the trading hours and noise settings right for local businesses will help these iconic beach suburbs thrive once the sun goes down.
“Since we came to office we’ve been working hard to bring Sydney back to life after the former Liberal government decimated our night-time economy with lockouts and overregulation. We’re now taking that revival to the beach.”
24-Hour Economy Commissioner Michael Rodrigues said:
“We often compare Sydney to London or New York when it comes to nightlife. Neither of those cities have beaches nor the temperate environment we enjoy. It’s great to see Manly and Cronulla, two of our premier city beach destinations, embracing the opportunity afforded to them through the Special Entertainment Precinct model.
“Consultation is key, and this funding will help councils work with local businesses, creatives, residents, police and other local leaders to get the settings right.
“By establishing SEP trials and working alongside businesses and the wider community, these councils will ensure their nightlife offerings continue to evolve in line with community needs.”
Northern Beaches Council Mayor Sue Heins said:
“We’re so pleased to receive this kickstart grant for a Special Entertainment Precinct in Manly. Everyone knows how good Manly beach is, but it is more than just that. This trial will help show how Manly could flourish as a premier destination for entertainment, dining, and culture, while ensuring the right balance between business success and community amenity.
“This grant will fund our acoustic testing for event and non-event zones. Events like last week’s hugely successful Rise Manly Winter Festival, where venues offered 10 days of diverse experiences for all ages from sunrise to sundown, are a prime example of some of the testing we plan to undertake.
“We are committed to working closely with the community, local businesses, NSW Police and other key stakeholders to tailor noise management and trading hours, giving businesses certainty and residents confidence in the viability of this initiative.”
Sutherland Shire Council Mayor Jack Boyd said:
“We have some tremendous bars, eateries and entertainment venues in Cronulla, and through the establishment of a Special Entertainment Precinct we will support our quality local operators to provide more entertainment options for local residents,” Mayor Boyd said.
“Through extensive community consultation we know there is a real desire for people looking to spend their entertainment dollars locally and enjoy a night out, see some great live music, or enjoy a drink with friends after heading out for a meal while staying in the Sutherland Shire.
“This initiative will help Council to back our amazing local business community in delivering more diverse and vibrant night-time entertainment options right here in Cronulla and help harness the desire of local residents to shop, dine, drink and enjoy themselves locally.”
Background on Special Entertainment Precincts:
- SEPs reduce red tape and make it easier for businesses that want to trade later. Businesses that want to trade to the hours set in a precinct management plan prepared by council can do so without amending the trading hour conditions on their development consents. Venues in a SEP that regularly offer live music can also register with Liquor & Gaming NSW to access extra hours on their liquor licence.
- The SEP Kickstart Grant program was open to all councils in NSW that have a resolution to establish a SEP. It has been designed to accelerate councils’ work by supporting them to consult with their communities and access expert acoustic and planning advice. Eligible NSW councils could apply for grants ranging from $50,000 to $200,000 under the program until 12 March 2025.
- The Enmore Road SEP was the first in NSW and has been named one of the best going-out districts in the world (Time Out, 2023) with boosted foot traffic, business revenue, and night-time visitation. Venues inside the precinct can trade an hour later every night and two extra hours on nights they stage live music or entertainment. Following a year-long trial, the SEP was made permanent in December 2023, with 84% of respondents to an Inner West Council Community Survey supporting a permanent SEP.
- Under the ‘eyes wide open’ provisions of the NSW Government’s second round of Vibrancy Reforms passed by Parliament in October 2024, councils are also required to notify new property buyers, residents and businesses of a SEP both by a notice published on the council website and a notation on planning certificates. This will ensure future residents buying into these areas are armed with the information they need to make an informed decision to live in a vibrant precinct.
Background on Minns Labor Government Vibrancy reforms:
- Permanently relaxed the rules for outdoor dining, allowing venues to make the most of their outdoor space on private land, including car parks and bowling greens
- Increased incentives for live music and live performance, with two hours extended trading and an 80% reduction in liquor licence fees for licensed venues offering live music and performance.
- Ended single noise complaints shutting down pubs and other licensed venues through sound management reform which raised the number of complainants from 3 to 5 and introduced an order of occupancy consideration.
- Created easier pathways for extended trading hours for licensed and unlicensed venues during major events like the Olympics and World Cups.
- Amended the Major Events Act so it can be used to cut red tape and support recurring significant events like Vivid and Sydney Festival.
- Made it easier for more venue types, including restaurants and small bars, to trade during special events across Sydney and regional NSW through extended event trading.
- Removed the ‘5km Rule’ for NSW registered Clubs by repealing the requirement to become a member of a club to visit if a local resident lives within 5 kilometres of the venue.
- Stopped placing the standard condition on licensed venues that patrons must be seated while drinking outdoors.
- Made it easier to activate streets for festivals and events via the Transport for NSW Open Streets program and provided more guidance about traffic and transport management for special events.
