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Major Events

The Royal Botanic Garden Sydney and the Domain are managed by the Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust (RBG). These picturesque, harbourside venues offer event producers a unique, inspiring and iconic space to deliver events and attract audiences to beautiful open green spaces surrounded by the harbour and city landscape. 

Iconic areas of the Domain are available for outdoor public events and play host to a diverse range of events including open air cinema, concerts, festivals, dance parties, sports and lifestyle events. The Domain has four precincts - the Phillip Precinct, Yurong Precinct, Tarpeian Precinct and Crescent Precinct.

Our events and venues team works with a variety of event organisers and promoters to help realise their creative vision and maximise the unique opportunities that exist in the outdoor event marketplace. We provide a service from beginning to end, utilising our world class venues to develop event concepts, advise on planning, facilitate stakeholder engagement and support successful operational delivery.

The Trust is interested in partnering with reputable event producers on events that are sustainable and offer diversity to our annual events program.

The Domain's Four Main Precincts

The Phillip Precinct commonly referred to as the Domain, is the largest open space in the central business district. This historic site is suitable for large concerts, festivals, sporting events and community-related activities.

Phillip Precinct's Site Map.

The Yurong Precinct includes areas such as Fleet Steps, Mrs Macquaries Point and Mrs Macquaries Road. The Yurong precinct offers unsurpassed panoramic views of the Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge, Royal Botanic Garden, Farm Cove and the city’s central business district skyline. The Yurong precinct is ideal for outdoor public events and incorporates the world renowned backdrop of Sydney’s favorite icons.

Yurong Precinct's Site Map

The Tarpeian Precinct is an elongated open space adjacent to the Royal Botanic Garden and Macquarie Street, Sydney. The precinct offers stunning views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour. The Tarpeian Precinct is ideal for smaller passive outdoor public event activities that do not require amplified sound and that may benefit from close proximity to Sydney’s central business district.

Tarpeian Precinct's Site Map

The Crescent Precinct consists of expansive lawns from the eastern side of Art Gallery Road to the top of the Domain Car Park. The precinct is centrally located to Sydney’s central business district and public transport options. The Crescent Precinct is most suitable for sporting events.

Crescent Precinct's Site Map

Major Event Proposal Requirements

If you are interested in hosting an outdoor public event in one of these precincts, please consider the following requirements to assist with the event approval process.

Event proposals are assessed and approved by the Trust based on suitability of the proposed event to the Trust’s annual event calendar, availability of the site, organiser’s event experience and reference checks. Hire fees are also determined based on the event proposal.

The Trust also encourages you to consider a wide range of operational planning to refine your event concept. This includes:

  • Visit the Domain precincts to assist you in deciding on the best location for your proposed event. Please note - the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney is a place of passive recreation and approval will only be given to an event located in the Domain or one of our specially designated event sites.
  • For guidance on your event requirements and the types of event related items you can reference: NSW Events Starter Guide 
Major Event Proposal Process

Once you have reviewed the Major Event Proposal Requirements above and selected an event site, an initial proposal should be provided to the events and venues team for assessment. All information is treated as commercial in confidence.

Your Event Proposal should include top-line details only at this stage:

  • Date
  • Site occupation period
  • Type of event – event concept
  • Operating Hours of event
  • Sound Amplification times
  • Summary of infrastructure
  • Capacity
  • Demographic
  • Ticket price(s)
  • Sustainability approach – Waste Management, Green energy, etc
  • Examples of previous events produced or references.

Submit your event proposal to the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney: events@botanicgardens.nsw.gov.au or call us for further details on 02 9231 8111

RBG conducts an internal assessment based on the information provided and will contact you to offer advice, seek further information or arrange a meeting. If it is decided to progress an event, a more detailed proposal will be required. We will advise you on specific details required for this proposal.

Frequently Asked Questions
  • Consider the Major Event Proposal Requirements listed above and ensure you visit your chosen site to see if it is suitable for your event. 
  • It is also recommended that consideration of carbon neutral strategies are deployed in relation to waste, power and catering as the Trust is committed to delivering events that support the RBG environmental policy.
  • Additionally, RBG is committed to inclusive communities and requires events and services to be accessible to people with disability

Contact RBG to discuss the suitability of your event concept on 02 9231 8111 or events@botanicgardens.nsw.gov.au.

Contact RBG to check the availability of the location on 02 9231 8111 or events@botanicgardens.nsw.gov.au.
Every event has different impacts and requirements and because of this we provide fee information after your proposal is approved.

The Trust is not fully funded by Government and is required to raise funds for vital scientific and horticultural research and to assist with our community education programs.

Income from public outdoor events supports these programs and therefore event fees cannot be waived.

Proposals should be received at least six months in advance of the event, preferably one year before in order to assure availability of your preferred site, time for the review process by the Trust and to notify key stakeholders of the event.
Depending on the complexity of your event, assessment of the proposal may take up to six weeks once all the relevant information has been received. However we will work with you to obtain all relevant information as soon as possible to provide you with a prompt response. 
If your proposal is approved, the Trust will issue a Licence Agreement along with associated fees. The Licence Agreement will require detailed event management plans addressing each aspect of the event and how these will be managed on Trust lands.

For further information contact the events and venues team at RBG:
Ph: 02 9231 8111
Email: events@botanicgardens.nsw.gov.au