From K-Pop to karaoke and culinary delights, Eastwood’s night-time economy will get even better when it becomes one of the state’s newest Special Entertainment Precincts.
There are currently nine precincts in operation, with Eastwood joining 23 other councils working to establish new entertainment precincts. The rollout of nightlife hubs is part of the Minns Labor Government’s rebuild of the NSW night-time economy.
Ryde City Council has received a $250,000 SEP Kickstart grant to establish the entertainment precinct that includes Eastwood Koreatown and Chinatown.
The funding supports council with the strategic planning, community consultation and acoustic studies required to set trading hours and sound settings in the designated precinct. This will result in more live music, outdoor dining and help businesses save time and money on costly development applications.
The NSW Productivity and Equality Commissioner’s report, Review of regulatory barriers impeding a vibrant 24-hour economy (September 2025) found that entertainment precincts deliver direct business cost savings of around $2.1 million per year.
The latest round of SEP Kickstart Grants is also being awarded to Central Coast Council, City of Canada Bay, Waverley Council, the City of Parramatta and the City of Sydney. The first round supported ten councils including Sutherland Shire, Burwood, Fairfield, Northern Beaches, Tamworth and Goulburn.
The City of Sydney grant will support its ongoing community and business engagement and monitoring as the council seeks community feedback on its proposed precincts that will cover more than 20 established nightlife areas including the CBD, Oxford Street, Surry Hills, Kings Cross, Walsh Bay and more.
Last week the Minns Labor Government announced it would increase the range of activities available to councils and operators in Special Entertainment Precincts including rooftop bars and dining and utilising town halls, car parks and commercial buildings for entertainment.
For more information on the SEP Kickstart Grant Program, click here.
Minister for Music and the Night-time Economy John Graham said:
“Eastwood is already becoming one of the best places to go out in Sydney, now it will get even better.
“The old centralised nightlife model of pouring everyone into Kings Cross didn’t work. Eastwood is a great example of the new approach which is about building unique precincts right across NSW.
“There’s a wave of communities setting up entertainment precincts. We’ve now got nine up and running, and dozens more lining up to join them.
“It’s particularly positive to see the City of Sydney taking another big step to establishing what will be NSW’s biggest entertainment precinct by far. This will change the face of our city at night and bring us full circle on repairing the damage of the lockout era.”
24-Hour Economy Commissioner Michael Rodrigues said:
“SEPs empower councils to work alongside residents and businesses to ensure the settings are right for their local community. It’s not a one-size-fits-all approach, meaning councils can tailor their planning rules to ensure locals, visitors and businesses can enjoy a great night out.
“The City of Sydney and City of Ryde will work alongside their communities and businesses to establish these trial precincts.
“The Purple Flag program is an internationally accredited scheme designed to recognise nightlife precincts that offer a welcoming atmosphere, diversity of offerings and effective ways to get home after a night out. It’s fantastic to see the City of Ryde exploring how Eastwood might be the next precinct to wave the Purple Flag.”
City of Ryde Mayor Trenton Brown said:
“Eastwood – which hosts our famous Granny Smith and Lunar New Year Festivals and is also home of Sydney’s best ‘Koreatown’ and Ryde’s first 24/7 library trial – is already a vibrant, thriving town centre, reflecting our city’s wonderful and enviable diversity.
“This Special Entertainment Precinct (SEP) Kickstart Grant will further enhance our booming night-time economy, and we look forward to hosting visitors from all over Sydney who will be able to enjoy a fantastic array of dining, live music, night markets and shopping experiences.”
City of Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore said:
“We have proposed overlaying Special Entertainment Precinct status over our late-night trading areas, which would give venues access to State Government incentives like extend trading for live music and performance and discounted liquor license fees.
“It’s important that we consult extensively to get this right, and this grant will help us get out and talk to businesses directly about what they think and how to access the benefits. On the back of lockouts and lockdowns, amidst increasing cost of living pressures, we need to ensure we are doing all we can to support this integral part of Sydney’s economic, social and cultural fabric.”
Eastwood Night Market organiser Kelly Wen said:
“The Eastwood Night Markets help to bring more vibrancy to our area at night, and we also provide locals with more opportunities to work and contribute to our community which we think is good for everyone.
“The markets have been around since 2012. I started to organise the markets after COVID and we have gone from strength to strength since. This precinct trial would make it even easier for us to run the markets and give Eastwood locals and visitors even more to enjoy at night.
“We look forward to working alongside the council to make our markets even better than ever.”
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