The night-time economy is more than just pubs and clubs

It includes everything that happens between 6pm and 6am. Night-time economy is not just about 'going out' experiences, it also includes essential services like healthcare, transport and manufacturing.

When speaking about night-time economy, we ultimately aim to consider how people live, work and connect safely after 6pm.

The NSW Government defines the night-time economy across 4 distinct time periods:

• Early evening (6pm-9pm)
• Evening (9pm-12am)
• Night (12am-3am)
• Late Night (3am-6am)

Core industries of the NTE:

Leisure & Entertainment (e.g. performing arts, theatres, creative arts, live music venues, sports & physical recreation, gyms, events, amusements, clubs, cinemas)

Food (e.g. cafes, restaurants, takeaway food services)

Drink (e.g. liquor retailers and licensed venues)

Supporting (non-core) industries of the NTE:

Health/Care (e.g. hospitals & medical care, emergency services, allied health, support/care work, public order/safety services)

Transport (e.g. rail, bus, taxi, water, private services, parking services, freight & logistics)

Education (e.g. schools, tertiary institutions, community college, arts education, private tutoring services)

Libraries (e.g. public libraries & archives)

Professional Services (e.g. legal, financial, technical, marketing, research, & other consultancy/specialised services)

Personal Services (e.g. laundry, dry cleaning, hairdressers, beauticians, cleaning, counselling/therapy services)

Retailing (e.g. supermarkets, grocers, wholesalers, pharmacies, clothing, department stores & general goods retailers)

Infrastructure Service & Maintenance (e.g. waste collection/treatment & disposal, regulatory services, city cleansing & maintenance)

Manufacturing/Production (e.g. food & other goods manufacturing, film & sound production)

Camden After Dark is a project to understand how our community lives, works and connects after 6pm, and how we can support a more vibrant and inclusive night-time economy across our local government area.

Council is gathering research and community feedback to understand what’s happening now, identify opportunities and challenges, and help plan for the future.

This project is being delivered in stages, with different opportunities to get involved as it progresses.

Council is seeking input from a wide range of people across Camden LGA, including local businesses, residents, community groups and other key stakeholders.

You may have opportunities to:

• Share your feedback through surveys
• Contribute to interactive maps
• Speak with Council at pop-up engagement activities
• Provide feedback on the key findings.

Opportunities to have your say will be released at different stages of the project, so we encourage you to follow this page to receive updates.

The project will produce key findings and recommendations to help guide future Council strategies including Council's next economic development strategy.

No. The night-time economy includes a wide range of activities beyond licensed venues, such as dining, retail, culture, health services, transport, manufacturing and events.

It also focuses on the experience of people who work at night and how community accesses essential services beyond 6pm.

Your feedback will help shape priorities, opportunities and the future vision for Camden’s night-time economy and inform Council’s planning and strategies.

The Office of the 24-Hour Economy Commissioner (O24HEC) is a NSW Government agency that supports and grows the state’s night-time economy.

O24HEC works with councils, businesses and communities to create vibrant, inclusive and safe places after dark, and delivers programs, research and policy to help local economies thrive.

They delivered the NSW 24-Hour Economy Strategy which sets the direction for growing a vibrant, safe and inclusive night-time economy across the state. The strategy focuses on supporting businesses, workers and communities through better planning, collaboration and data, while improving safety, transport, access and cultural activity after dark.

The NSW Government Vibrancy Reforms are a set of recent changes to legislation and policy, designed to support a more active and diverse night-time economy.

These reforms aim to make it easier for businesses and venues to operate after dark, including through:

• More flexible trading hours
• Streamlined planning and approval processes
• Updated liquor licensing and event regulations
• Live music incentives
• Noise and sound rules reform
• Special Entertainment Precincts legislation

The reforms are intended to support live music, events, dining and cultural activities while also balancing safety, noise and community impacts.

To learn more about the night-time economy and related planning, you can explore a range of supporting strategies and plans at both the local and state level, including:

Camden Council Documents:

• Camden Community Strategic Plan- 2025-2040
• Camden Economic Development Strategy- 2022-2026
• Camden Destination Management Plan
• Camden Cultural Activation Strategy- 2022-2026
• Camden Town Centre Urban Design Framework
• Camden Local Strategic Planning Statement
• Narellan Vision & Action Plan
• Camden's Planning Controls (LEP & DCP)

NSW Government Documents:

• NSW 24-Hour Economy Strategy
• NSW Vibrancy Reforms
• NSW Night Worker Action Plan- 2025-2028
• NSW State of the Night Report
• Data After Dark Quarterly Insights