Private Events and Weddings

The City of Holdfast Bay is a premier venue for private events and weddings, benefiting from its stunning sandy beaches, parks, and reserves.

A private event meets the following requirements:

• Has approximately 40 attendees or less.
• Has no/ minimal infrastructure.
• Examples include birthday parties, wedding ceremonies, and social club gatherings.

If you are unsure whether your event qualifies as a private event, please contact the Events Team for guidance.

Private events and weddings do not require formal event approval because all reserves are public spaces, and no hire fees apply. However, please note that you cannot secure exclusive use of any space or facility.

Wedding parties may use beaches, reserves, and the foreshore for photographs without formal approval, although these areas cannot be booked, and wedding vehicles are not permitted on them.

Additionally, we encourage you to check our What's On calendar and, for foreshore areas, to contact the appropriate Surf Life Saving Clubs to check their schedules.

Please let us know the details of your special day.

Completing the provided form will inform us of your event details and avoid scheduling conflicts.

Note that the following locations are unavailable for wedding ceremonies: Jimmy Melrose Park, Brian Nadilo Reserve, Colley Reserve, and Wigley Reserve.

The City of Holdfast Bay does not provide hire equipment for wedding ceremonies or events (i.e. PA systems, chairs, red carpet, etc.).

If you are using the services of an external equipment supplier, we recommend that you ask them to provide a copy of their public liability insurance certificate of currency (minimum $20 million).

You are permitted to set up the following for a small private event or wedding ceremony:

• Portable trestle tables
• Battery-powered PA system
• Wedding arch
• Up to 40 chairs
• A shade tent may be erected and can be a maximum size of 3m x 3m. It must be weighed down with sandbags or water containers. Please remove the tent shade as soon as the ceremony or event has concluded. Ground pegging is NOT permitted in any park or reserve.
• Fresh petals may be scattered.

The following items are not permitted:

• Confetti
• Balloons
• Glitter
• Rice
• Marquees larger than 3m x 3m (including bell tents) - ground pegging is NOT permitted in any park or reserve
• Kettle BBQs (charcoal)
• Gas heaters
• Open fires
• Vehicles are not permitted in any of the parks or reserves

You are welcome to engage a food vendor for your private event or wedding. However, the vendor must not sell to the public, and there is no money to be exchanged on the day, with all services paid before arriving onsite. Food vendors must not drive on the grounds of the park or reserve. They are permitted to pull into a parking space or park at a suitable place on a side road.

Every food vendor operating at your event must comply with existing food safety practices and official standards. They also need to obtain a
Temporary Street Traders Permit. The application will be processed in up to ten (10) business days.

Acoustic instruments and battery-operated PA Systems are permitted at wedding ceremonies and private events.

Please note that the City of Holdfast Bay cannot provide members of the public with access to Power outlets within its open spaces.

Inflatable devices are strictly prohibited on all foreshore reserves and beaches within the City of Holdfast Bay. When planning to use any inflatable amusement device on Council land, you must obtain a copy of the service provider's Public Liability Insurance—covering at least $20,000,000—and a current certificate of plant registration issued by SafeWork SA. You are also required to inform the service provider that pegging into the grounds is not allowed and that all structures must be secured using weights only.

All inflatable devices, regardless of type, must be operated under the supervision of a trained and qualified supervisor or attendant at all times. The hirer is responsible for ensuring that all relevant legislation, Council By-Laws, guidelines, and SafeWork SA standards are fully understood and adhered to. For detailed guidance, please consult the SafeWork Australia information sheet on inflatable devices and related regulatory documents.

Visit the SafeWork website here.

If you wish to hire the services of a petting zoo, you need to provide a copy of the public liability insurance certificate from the company that you are engaging. Hand-washing facilities must also be provided, and all faeces must be removed.

Please refer to the Animal Contact Guidelines - SA Health Website here.

BBQs and permanent Gazebos located in our parks and reserves are free to use on a first-come-first-served basis and cannot be booked.

The Colley Reserve Rotunda is free to use on a first-come-first-served basis and cannot be booked.

Community Safety officers regularly patrol our parks and reserves. Vehicles illegally parked on the parks and reserves may be issued an infringement notice.

All litter resulting from any event must be removed from Council property, and the area must be left clean and tidy.

Most of Council's beaches, reserves, and foreshore areas are dry areas; therefore, serving and consuming alcohol is prohibited. For dry area information, please contact customer service.

Partridge House is available for ceremonies and photographs. For further information and bookings, see below.