Filming and photography

The Harbour Trust offers low-impact and student filming and photography permits to shoot on Harbour Trust land. Our land is also available for wedding photography, media shoots, and medium to high impact filming and photography, including feature films, TV series, commercial and fashion shoots.

For information on wedding photoshoots, see: Wedding venues (overview).

COVID-19 update

Currently, the Harbour Trust is only accepting applications for events or activations that comply with the NSW Government’s public health orders. Commercial activities as well as low impact filming and photography MAY be permitted at our sites.

How to apply for a permit

Seeking to host an event or activation on Harbour Trust land or undertake filming at one of our sites? Read our Venue Use Guidelines for information: 

• Harbour Trust Venue Use Guidelines (pdf)

This resource details the criteria for obtaining a permit and helps applicants determine whether their proposed event or activation will be deemed a low, medium, high impact or complex undertaking. It also provides guidance on every step of the application process – from submitting a venue hire enquiry through to the approval and delivery of an event or activation. We recommend reading the Venue Use Guidelines in conjunction with the following:

• Events and Venues WHS Guidelines (pdf)
• Requirements of the Licence Agreement (pdf)

Further information – application forms

The following table indicates the forms you will be required to complete as part of your application. The requisite forms are determined by the relevant event impact category and type as well as the agreement type issued to the event organiser. 

[Note: Receipt of an application by the Harbour Trust does not constitute a confirmed booking. A booking will not be confirmed in the Harbour Trust calendar until the application has been fully assessed and approval granted.]