Busking in Sydney

Buskers and Sydney have always had a tenuous relationship. So tenuous, that a few years ago the city implemented a busking policy. It's extraordinary reading, and includes a busking permit, which you must apply for as well as rules and regulations around different types of busking and what you can and can't do in each particular type of busk (sic).

The Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority is having a little re-think of it's 'Busking policy for the Rocks & Circular Quay'. Today they are meeting to discuss the present policy and to hear submissions from interested parties.

In an email I received from the Musicians Section of the MEAA, I discovered that busking is illegal for musicians in the Darling Harbour area, west of the CBD. This (less than attractive) concrete wonderland for tourists only permits street performers and no musicians. It seems a bit ironic that they ban musicians from busking in one of the ugliest parts of the city for fear of giving it some life.

Years ago, the state government had to decide what to do with this old industrial area on the fringe of the city centre. There were two arguments. One was to turn it into a large park, for the use of families and city workers. The second was to lay down some concrete, plant a casino and as much ugly architecture as possible to sell stuffed koala's from. The latter won.

The second interesting issue is the ban on buskers from having a CD on display. The email from the Musicians lobby says:

Musicians are banned from having a CD on display. Most musicians, especially the better ones, have recordings these days. A passer by stops, and says” That’s fantastic – do you have a CD?” – What would you do? Buskers face on the spot fines, and losing their licence. Musicians are not big hustlers like circus acts. Consider a classical guitarist, concentrating on their craft… these musicians, especially the better ones, need more understanding. I will be requesting that a musician be allowed one only CD on display. I feel this is a commonsense solution to a genuine problem. We don’t want to eradicate the better Musicians, leaving only the lost souls on smashed guitars strung with fishing line requesting a ciggie mate!


Buskers are a significant element to the cultural life of the city. They are a magnificent addition to life down at Circular Quay, they bring life to the dead-end of Central Railway Station, and more significantly, buskers are usually amazing musicians using the streets as their rehearsal rooms.

The fact that the Authority deems it necessary to regulate busking says more about the time on their hands and it is absurd that musicians are banned from the Darling Harbour precinct. Surely, common sense will prevail and they will lift this ban and permit musicians to have the cover of their latest CD on display.

It isn't enough that most people don't really pay attention to the musical talents of the buskers, but you also have a government agency putting limitations on what they do.

If you want to get involved send an email to the authority and let them know what you think of the policy and how they should improve it.