Key Points
- A Christmas street party in Northcote, Melbourne, is in jeopardy of being canceled after the Darebin City Council ended its program of free street parties.
- In previous years, the event had involved a potluck lunch, a piñata, and a water fight, and the event is staged in the street for longer than residents Sarah and Pete Goss have lived there.
- Residents were able to apply under the council’s program of free parties that covered temporary road closures and appropriate insurance arrangements.
- The program was ended for the 2026-27 financial year, leaving small events needing a fully priced event permit.
- Darebin City Council’s fee schedule shows that a medium event permit costs $281.88, while a large event permit costs $563.75.
- A one-day road closure permit for more than five days costs between $215.38 and $756.45, depending on the road width and length of closure.
- The permit applicant also needs to supply an event management plan, risk management plan, and site map.
- A Darebin City Council spokesperson stated that the street party program was ended during the negotiations over the latest budget, adopted in June.
Liverpool (Liverpool standard) October 25, 2026 – An annual Christmas street party enjoyed by residents in Northcote may be scrapped after Darebin City Council ended a free permit scheme and began charging for small-scale community events.
As reported by The Age, the family-friendly gathering has long been a highlight of the local calendar, bringing neighbours together for a pot luck lunch, a piñata and a much-anticipated water fight. But the council’s decision to charge hundreds of dollars for permits could end the tradition.
Sarah Goss and her husband, Pete, have lived in their Northcote home for more than a decade. According to The Age, they have looked forward to the Christmas party each year, an event that predates their move to the suburb.
The party was previously registered in advance with Darebin City Council through its free “street party program”. That arrangement allowed the road to be temporarily closed and suitable insurance to be organised.
When Sarah Goss applied this year, she found that the program no longer existed. The Age reported that small-scale events which would previously have qualified for the no-cost scheme now require a full-priced event permit after the program was discontinued for the 2026-27 financial year.
What Fees Will Residents Now Face?
The change means residents who want to hold a street party must apply for a standard event permit and pay the associated council charges.
According to The Age, Darebin City Council’s fee schedule lists the permit application price for a medium event as $281.88. A large event permit costs $563.75.
Residents may also need a road closure permit. The Age reported that a one-day road closure permit, if made more than five days in advance, costs between $215.38 and $756.45. The price depends on the size of the road and the length of time it is closed.
Council event permits also require supporting documentation. Applicants must submit an event management plan, a risk management plan and a site map.
Sarah Goss told The Age that the complicated permit system and high costs were both prohibitive for the street party. She said the event was not commercial in nature.
“It’s not a commercial event … It’s kids running amok under a sprinkler and a hose, and adults bringing out a plate and sitting round and connecting,” she said, as reported by The Age.
What Has Darebin City Council Said?
Darebin City Council has confirmed that the street party program was discontinued during discussions for its latest budget.
As reported by The Age, a council spokesperson said the budget was formally adopted in June. The spokesperson said residents could still apply to hold an event on their street, but a permit is required and fees apply.
The council also said an allocation had been made to enable fees to be waived for certain community groups. According to The Age, those waivers will apply to faith communities, LGBTQIA+ and multicultural organisations seeking to close roads to run community street festivals.
The spokesperson said details on how to apply for those waivers would be shared soon.
How Long Has the Northcote Party Been Held?
The Christmas gathering is described by The Age as a long-standing neighbourhood tradition. It predates Sarah and Pete Goss moving to Northcote more than a decade ago.
The event is organised around simple, resident-led activities rather than commercial entertainment. The reported programme includes shared food, a piñata and a water fight, with adults and children taking part in the street celebration.
The possible cancellation highlights the practical effect of the council’s policy change on small, informal community events that rely on temporary road closures.
What Does the Permit Change Mean for Other Events?
The decision does not ban street events in Darebin. Residents can still seek approval to close a road and hold an event, but the previous free pathway has been removed.
Under the new arrangements, organisers must apply for a permit, pay applicable fees and meet documentation requirements. Those requirements include planning for event management, risk management and the site layout.
The Age reported that the change could jeopardise many long-standing festive traditions during the Christmas period, particularly small neighbourhood gatherings that previously qualified for the council’s no-cost program.
Background of the Development
Darebin City Council is the local government authority for Northcote, in Melbourne’s inner north. Its former street party program allowed residents to register small-scale events in advance at no cost, while also enabling temporary road closures and insurance arrangements.
That program was discontinued for the 2026-27 financial year during budget discussions. The council’s latest budget was formally adopted in June, according to a council spokesperson cited by The Age.
From that point, events that would previously have been covered by the free program moved into the council’s standard event permit process. That process carries application fees, possible road closure charges and requirements for event management and safety documentation.
The council has retained an exception for some community organisations. It says fees can be waived for faith communities, LGBTQIA+ and multicultural organisations seeking road closures for community street festivals, with application details to be released.
Prediction: How Could This Affect Northcote Residents?
For Northcote residents, the immediate effect is likely to be higher costs and more paperwork for neighbourhood events. Organisers of small street parties may need to decide whether to pay for permits, reduce the scale of their events, move celebrations to private property, or cancel them altogether.
The change could particularly affect long-running, informal traditions such as the Christmas street party, where residents previously relied on a simple free registration process. If permit and road closure costs prove too high, some households may be unwilling or unable to fund an event that has historically been community-led and non-commercial.
Other residents planning similar gatherings may also face delays while preparing event management plans, risk assessments and site maps. The council’s planned fee waivers for faith, LGBTQIA+ and multicultural organisations may provide relief for some groups, but the reported details of the application process are yet to be released.
For the wider Darebin community, the policy may reshape how small public celebrations are organised. Residents who want to maintain street-based traditions may need to plan earlier, share costs among neighbours, or seek clarification from the council on whether their event qualifies for any waiver or reduced-fee arrangement.
