The Illawarra Hotel is seeking to expand its popular street closure events to include five occasions throughout the year, with Anzac Day highlighted as a key date in the proposal currently before Wollongong City Council.
Expanding Beyond New Year's Eve
Already well-known for its New Year's Eve block party that closes part of Market Street between Keira Street and Keira Lane, the establishment now wants to modify its existing council approval to accommodate four additional street closure events annually.
While the development application specifically mentions Anzac Day as one of the proposed dates, the hotel indicates that other dates will be determined in consultation with council and relevant stakeholders throughout the year.
Anzac Day Event Details
For the proposed Anzac Day celebration, the section of Market Street would close at 6am to allow for setup of various event infrastructure. This includes a stage, water barriers, food trucks, and notably, a two-up ring - the traditional Australian gambling game strongly associated with Anzac Day commemorations.
The event would officially commence at 10am and conclude at 10pm, with Market Street scheduled to reopen to traffic by 6am on April 26. The application suggests the closure would have negligible impact on local businesses given most would be closed for the public holiday.
Community Support and Track Record
The Illawarra Hotel's application includes significant backing from the local community, particularly from the Wollongong RSL Sub-Branch, which provided a letter of support. This endorsement highlights the venue's established reputation for hosting large-scale events without incident while respectfully honouring historical traditions.
According to the statement of environmental effects submitted with the application, previous New Year's Eve block parties organised by the hotel attracted no formal complaints to local authorities. The document states that no complaints were made to the NSW Police Licensing Sergeant in Wollongong regarding earlier street events.
The application further emphasises the operator's proven ability to maintain neighbourhood order, noting their track record of incident-free major events.
The development application remains on public exhibition until December 5, allowing community members to provide feedback before council makes a final decision on the proposed expanded street closures.
