The iconic North Coast town of Byron Bay will become the first regional area to establish a trial Special Entertainment Precinct to promote and preserve its nightlife.

As part of the NSW Government’s ongoing rebuild of the state’s night-time economy, Byron’s famous pubs, performance spaces and restaurants will be future-proofed as a nightlife precinct.

Special Entertainment Precincts (SEPs) allow councils to change trading hours and sound rules within a designated area to allow shops, businesses and local hospitality and entertainment operators to thrive and protect them against neighbour complaints.

The Byron Bay precinct – bounded by beachfront Bay Street, Jonson Street and the rail corridor, with Middleton and Browning Streets – will protect the famous vibrancy of the town centre as the area experiences cost and real estate pressures.

Within the precinct are time-honoured live music venues, the Backroom at the Great Northern Hotel, the Beach Hotel and The Rails. The Backroom has hosted The White Stripes, PJ Harvey and Paul Kelly while Nirvana and Midnight Oil played the Beach Hotel in the past, while The Whitlams and The Cruel Sea have played at The Rails.

Byron Bay attracted two million visitors in the 12 months to September 2024. Byron Shire Council is one of six regional councils in NSW that have put their hand up to explore establishing a SEP following the recent announcement that Burwood and Fairfield had been given the green light to establish their own precincts in Sydney’s west.

Enmore Road became the first permanent SEP in December 2023, boosting night-time foot traffic, visitation and business revenue. The area was soon after named on Timeout’s Top 20 coolest neighbourhoods in the world.

Byron Shire Council has received a Special Entertainment Precinct Kickstart Grant of $162,800 from the NSW Government which supports the local council to consult with operators and the community to determine new opening hours and sound rules.

The establishment of a SEP then precludes the need for local businesses within its boundaries to go through the expensive and time-consuming process of submitting new development applications to trade later.

Under the ‘eyes wide open’ provision of the vibrancy reforms, which will take effect later this year, councils are also required to notify new property buyers, residents and businesses that they are make an informed decision to live in a vibrant precinct.

SEPs are being established alongside the NSW Government’s vibrancy reforms which have:

  • 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 per cent 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 established a single noise regulator for licensed venues, raised the number of complainants needed to consider a formal complaint from three to five, and introduced an order of occupancy consideration.
  • Created easier pathways for extended trading hours for licensed 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 Sydney 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 five 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.

Minister for Music and the Night-time Economy John Graham said: “A night out in Byron Bay has been a special part of the lives of so many people whether they are locals to the area or visitors getting a taste of North Coast NSW.

“Byron Shire is an iconic destination and the establishment of a trial Special Entertainment Precinct will ensure the classic days continue well into the night.

“Our commitment to rebuilding nightlife following the era of lockouts and useless red tape that strangled fun is by no means confined to Sydney, and Byron Bay will be one of a number of regional NSW centres to commit to their local nightlife with a Special Entertainment Precinct.

“I am delighted by the level of interest from councils across Sydney and NSW and in response, we have increased the funding pool to over $1.94 million, so more councils can establish SEPs in the coming months.”

24-Hour Economy Commissioner Michael Rodrigues said: “The Byron Bay business chamber had been interested in the work of our Office for some time now and I am glad that there is a tangible project now on foot being led by the Council.

“The Special Entertainment Precinct model is not a one size fits all approach. It allows councils to work with businesses and local communities to put in place the right settings. I’m keen to see how this progresses.“

Byron Shire Council Mayor Sarah Ndiaye said: “We’re so happy to receive this kickstart grant for a Special Entertainment Precinct in Byron Bay.

“This is a unique opportunity to collaborate with our community — our artists, venues, businesses and residents — to shape a night-time economy that’s vibrant, welcoming and truly reflective of Byron’s creative spirit and coastal lifestyle.

“With so much change over the past few years, this funding comes at the right time to support fresh ideas, local jobs and a safe, inclusive after-dark culture.

“We want to create a night-time experience that not only supports our local economy but also celebrates the essence of Byron — its people, its stories and its unmistakable energy.”

For more information on SEPs click here.