Australasia News: 24-Hour Precincts In Sydney; Festivals Survive Lyte Collapse; Sydney Arena Proposed; NZ: Bay Dreams Off

AUSTRALIA

24-Hour Precincts Pitched For Sydney

The City of Sydney unveiled a proposal for special entertainment precincts in the CBD which would see live music venues, clubs, bars and restaurants apply to operate 24 hours a day.

“We all want a nightlife we can be proud of, and that our global city deserves,” said Lord Mayor Clover Moore.

“Special entertainment precincts build on our extended trading hours and incentives for live entertainment by introducing sound controls that provide certainty for venues and cheaper licensing fees.”

The precincts would test extra volume for music over 18 months. Residents can still make complaints but have to go to mediation with a government department.

The Sydney nighttime economy pumped A$5.7 billion ($3.76 billion) into the New South Wales (NSW) economy last fiscal year.

Business Sydney estimated expanding to 24 hours could increase consumer spending by a further $1 billion ($660.4 million) and create 7,000 new jobs.

Lost Paradise Overcomes Lyte Collapse

Lost Paradise and Rabbits Eat Lettuce, the two Australian festivals impacted by Lyte’s collapse in September are going ahead as planned.

Within days, Queensland’s Rabbits Eat Lettuce switched to Australian provider Humanitix to stage in April before 5,000. Director Erik Lamir revealed a loss of A$30,000 ($19, 814) from the collapse.

Finely Tuned announced Oct. 26 that the EDM-focussed Lost Paradise will stage Dec. 28 to Jan. 1 in NSW’s Glenworthy Valley to 15,000.

The delay in confirming, founder Simon Beckingham explained in a statement, was that it went to court to get back the “millions of dollars ” in ticket sales that Lyte transferred into “an offshore account Lost Paradise can’t access.” He said 95% of tickets sold in the first 48 hours.

20,000-Seat Arena For Sydney’s EQ

A 20,000-seat indoor arena to draw major international events is part of a plan to revitalise Sydney’s Entertainment Quarter. The NSW government has begun a long-term tender to revitalise the under-used music and sports precinct into a dynamic day and night hub.

State premier Chris Minns said, “There are literally hundreds of acts around the world that want to tour Australia and Sydney in particular, and the new EQ entertainment precinct would provide another world-class venue for great home grown artists and international acts.”

The multi-million dollar plan includes more performance spaces, restaurants and bars and upgraded areas for food markets and cultural events to draw “thousands” more visitors.

NEW ZEALAND


Bay Dreams Sits Out 2025

Bay Dreams, which this year ranked as NZ’s biggest music festival with a draw of 50,000, is sitting out 2025.

Promoters Matt Lowe and Toby Burrows called it a pre-emptive move to “make our business more sustainable” when it returns in 2026.

Launched in 2016, Bay Dreams featured Cardi B, Diplo and Tyler The Creator.

But escalating fees for international headliners has proven an issue. The aim for Kendrick Lamar to headline stops in Tauranga and Queenstown in January proved a budget headache after the act’s most recent global chart success upped his price.

Other options were financially unfeasible, combined with rising operating costs and cost of living.

The NZ festival scene has been spooked this year, with Splore and Morningside Block Party taking 2025 off.

Birdsnest Entertainment Limited, the company behind the sold-out Nest Fest, went into receivership February owing NZ $800,000 ($478,158.40) after failing to make enough from sales and drinks.