The Sydney Opera House is set to become a lot bigger and louder with more fans allowed into outdoor concerts and noise caps raised. Nighttime gigs will be permitted to be as loud as events held during the day and will have their curfew extended to midnight seven days a week under the new plans by the NSW Government. Pulp, PJ Harvey and Jimmy Barnes are just some of the acts that have performed at the forecourt recently. “No longer will noise levels at the
Sydney Opera House forecourt be dictated by the bedtimes of the residents at the Toaster,” NSW Arts Minister John Graham said. The Toaster is a series of apartments on the east of Circular Quay whose residents have previously complained about noise. NSW Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said these changes will mean “more people can enjoy the world class venue and cultural icon”. “These changes will be a great outcome for Sydney which will make sure this iconic venue remains at the
heart of Sydney’s event calendar hosting concerts, markets, theatre and more,” he said. Planned changes include increasing the maximum capacity for outdoor events from 5,000 to 6,000 people for low and medium scale events and increasing the Southern Forecourt maximum capacity from 6,000 to 7,000 people for major events like music concerts. Mr Graham said these changes would stop people trying to shut down night-life hotspots just because they live near them. “The Sydney Opera House is everyone’s house and these changes make sure the
experience matches the epic setting,” he said. The government said a “modernised sound management framework” will be introduced for low and medium impact events to make sure sound levels remain at “common sense levels”. The NSW government said these planned changes will help provide a space for a greater range of events and performances. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he supports the planned changes. “It brings enormous economic activity, and it brings enormous joy for people,” he said. “It’s a great asset for the nation.
I only regret that I don’t get to do as much as I would like to when it comes to live music and live activity, but the opera house is something that is so symbolic of Australia as well. “We should be using it and it should be bringing in that economic activity as well as joy to those people who get to go to the concert or the play or whatever other activity is taking place.” The changes come as the NSW government plans
to enact Special Entertainment Precincts that would expand rooftop dining and entertainment options, making it easier to convert empty shops and offices into licensed venues like small wine bars and restaurants. It would also allow activation of commercial buildings and car parks for temporary uses like live music or community events. A number of these proposed changes will be on public exhibition alongside updates for Special Entertainment Precincts from Sunday 7 June to Tuesday 7 July.
Sydney Opera House, NSW Government, noise caps, midnight curfew, outdoor concerts, forecourt capacity, Circular Quay, Toaster apartments, John Graham, Paul Scully, Anthony Albanese, Special Entertainment Precincts
Midnight curfew? That seems too late, like how is that fair to neighbors.
So they’re raising noise caps and letting more people in like nothing ever happened? I mean if residents complained before, why is the solution just louder concerts seven days a week.
Wait, the article says it’s the Opera House getting bigger and louder… but also something about the ‘Toaster’ apartments? Are they saying that’s what the Opera House noise comes from lol. People will always complain though, cities gonna city.
Honestly this is like when my town changed the rules for fireworks and suddenly it’s “common sense levels.” Midnight curfew 7 days a week sounds like a nightmare. Plus 6,000 to 7,000 people… that’s basically doubling the chaos. I bet they’ll still blame the neighbors if it gets outta hand.