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Places of public entertainment (POPE) occupancy permits

If you are organising a public entertainment event, you may need to obtain an occupancy permit for a place of public entertainment.

Tasks

Register your food vendor with Streatrader

Contact us

For more information and advice on hosting a public event in the City of Whittlesea, contact our Events Team on 9217 2170 or email events@whittlesea.vic.gov.au.

You must obtain this permit if you:

  • are holding your event in an enclosed or substantially enclosed area of land more than 500m2, or
  • are charging an entry fee (including donations and gifts), or
  • are holding your event in a public building of more than 500m2, or
  • are erecting one of the following temporary structures:
    • a seating stand for more than 20 persons
    • a marquee of more than 100m
    • a tent of more than 100m2
    • a stage of more than 150m2

Types of public entertainment may include:

  • fetes
  • festivals
  • community fairs/shows
  • sporting events
  • live music events and performances
  • carnivals
  • circuses
  • cinema in the park

You must display your occupancy permit for a place of public entertainment at the event office or at a place where it can be readily viewed when required.

How to apply

You will need to submit the following to apply for this permit:

  1. Download and complete the Permit Application Form
  2. A full description of your event
  3. A plan of your place of entertainment to a suitable scale showing:
  4. Payment of the relevant fee (see information below)
    • all marquees, stages and seating stands
    • a copy of the current occupancy permit issued by the Building Commission for the stage, marquee or temporary structure
    • existing and proposed toilet facilities for use by patrons, including accessible toilets
    • number of drinking fountains/outlets
    • fire extinguishers and placement of sundry items such as equipment
    • access points to the site and position of first aid facilities if required

Download

Type of place of public entertainment

  • Circus 
  • Building
  • Public event on land

Occupancy permit conditions

Conditions of your occupancy permit may include:

  • Safety officers must attend the place of public entertainment to provide for the safety of the public, and be responsible for:
    • operating fire safety elements, equipment and systems
    • establishing and operating evacuation procedures
    • safety of barriers and exits
    • control of the use of naked flame in theatrical productions
  • You must exclude the public from unsafe areas
  • You must keep, test and store flammable material or explosive items and equipment in a safe manner, to the extent that this is not required by any other Act or regulations
  • You must ignite fireworks and discharge pistols or other shooting devices in a safe and responsible manner, to the extent that this is not required by any other Act or regulations
  • You must designate passageways/paths of travel and exits
  • You must ensure public toilet facilities are available and in suitable condition
  • You must provide any proposed additional fire fighting equipment to surrounding areas.

Find out about

Check to see if Council approval is required for your event
Learn about hosting a public event in the City of Whittlesea