A street performer on a tall unicycle juggles clubs in front of a crowd outside Fremantle Markets. People, including children, watch the lively outdoor act on a sunny day. Historic brick building and shops are in the background.

Busking in Fremantle

Fremantle has a unique busking culture and a rich history of street performance, which is celebrated annually as part of the City’s street arts festival.

A permit may be required for busking if using dangerous goods as part of your performance, this will need to be presented if requested by a City Officer.

See the below locations for approved pitches including any terms and conditions. For more information, terms and conditions, or special permissions, please refer to the Busking in Fremantle guidelines or contact the Health Team to discuss the requirements.

Pitches

Please read the busking guidelines for more information about pitches, conditions, permissions and special permits.

Circle shows take priority, scheduling is organised by fairground@bigpond.com, please contact them to organise a spot.

Types of Performers:

  • Solo musicians and musical groups
  • Circus Acts
  • Fire Acts
  • Statue and mime artists
  • Balloon artists and Face Painters

Aerial view of an urban street with buildings, cars parked along the road, trees, and a blue circle highlighting a specific location on Milligan Street, near Murray Street, in a city area.

Must not impede on entryways to cottages

Types of Performers:

  • Solo musicians and musical groups
  • Circus Acts
  • Fire Acts
  • Statue and mime artists
  • Balloon artists and Face Painters
  • Chalk artists

Aerial view of a city block with parking lots, buildings, streets, and a roundabout. A rectangular area in a parking lot is highlighted in blue next to Wellington St and Hillman St.

30 mins only, and no more than 2 pitches at one time

Types of Performers:

  • Solo musicians and musical groups
  • Statue and mime artists
  • Balloon artists and Face Painters

Buskers must not interfere with Church services or Town Hall functions

Types of Performers

  • Solo musicians and musical groups
  • Circus Acts
  • Fire Acts
  • Statue and mime artists
  • Balloon artists and Face Painters
  • Chalk artists

Aerial view of an urban area showing streets, buildings, trees, and a highlighted blue section covering part of a plaza and pathway near the intersection of Adelaide Street, Queen Street, and Eagle Street.

Types of Performers:

  • Solo musicians and musical groups
  • Circus Acts
  • Statue and mime artists
  • Balloon artists and Face Painters

Aerial view of a city block with a park area highlighted in blue, surrounded by roads, buildings, and trees. The park has a central building and scattered palm trees.

Events and bookings take precedence.

Types of Performers:

  • Solo musicians and musical groups
  • Circus Acts
  • Statue and mime artists
  • Balloon artists and Face Painters

A satellite view of a city park with paths and trees. Two overlapping blue shapes outline areas within the park, and two blue circles are near a small white structure in the lower center. Streets border the park.

Types of Performers:

  • Solo musicians and musical groups
  • Statue and mime artists
  • Balloon artists and Face Painters

Aerial view of several buildings and streets; the main building in the center has a red roof and is outlined in blue, surrounded by roads, other structures, and a few parked cars.

Types of Performers:

  • Solo musicians and musical groups
  • Statue and mime artists
  • Balloon artists and Face Painters

Aerial view of buildings and streets with a roundabout at the intersection of Pearl Street and Wilfred Street. Two irregular blue highlighted areas are shown near the roundabout, beside several trees and parked cars.

Events and Bookings take precedence

Types of Performers:

  • Solo musicians and musical groups
  • Circus Acts
  • Statue and mime artists
  • Balloon artists and Face Painters

Aerial view of a coastal area with buildings, parking lots, beach, and green space. Blue rectangles highlight sections along a boardwalk between trees and a large building near the shoreline.

Not including Tidal Lane

Types of Performers

  • Solo musicians and musical groups
  • Circus Acts
  • Statue and mime artists
  • Balloon artists and Face Painters
  • Chalk artists

Permission Required – please email Harbour Management FFBH@transport.wa.gov.au with a copy of your public liability insurance for a permit.

Terms and Conditions

By performing in the Cicerello area, at all times you must:

Have public Liability insurance in the amount of $20 million

You indemnify and keep indemnified the Crown in right of the State of Western Australia, Minister for Transport, DTMI, its servants and agents of such instrumentalities:

a.) Against all damage to property of the Crown in or around the harbour caused by or arising out of or in relation to the use by You or any of Your employees, workmen, agents or invitees of the Site or its surrounding area; and

b.) Against all actions, suits, demands, claims and costs which may be made at any time or times by any person or corporation arising out of or in relation to or incidental to the use by You or Your employees, workmen, agents or invitees of the Site or its surrounding area.

Types of Performers

  • Solo musicians and musical groups
  • Circus Acts
  • Statue and mime artists
  • Balloon artists and Face Painters
  • Chalk artists

Aerial view of a waterfront building complex with a dock and outdoor seating areas. A triangular section of land is highlighted in orange near a curved road labeled Mews Rd.

Permission Required – please email Harbour Management FFBH@transport.wa.gov.au with a copy of your public liability insurance for a permit.

Terms and Conditions

By performing in the Cicerello area, at all times you must:

Have public Liability insurance in the amount of $20 million

You indemnify and keep indemnified the Crown in right of the State of Western Australia, Minister for Transport, DTMI, its servants and agents of such instrumentalities:

a.) Against all damage to property of the Crown in or around the harbour caused by or arising out of or in relation to the use by You or any of Your employees, workmen, agents or invitees of the Site or its surrounding area; and

b.) Against all actions, suits, demands, claims and costs which may be made at any time or times by any person or corporation arising out of or in relation to or incidental to the use by You or Your employees, workmen, agents or invitees of the Site or its surrounding area.

Types of Performers

  • Solo musicians and musical groups
  • Circus acts
  • Fire acts
  • Statue and mime artists
  • Balloon artists and Face Painters

Aerial view of a waterfront area with buildings, parked cars, a docked boat, and a circular orange section on the ground beside a road, near the edge of the water.

Permission required – please email EShedMarkets@fremantleports.com.au to confirm available slots and receive your permit.

Types of Performers

  • Solo musicians and musical groups
  • Circus Acts
  • Statue and mime artists
  • Balloon artists and Face Painters
  • Chalk artists

Aerial view of an industrial waterfront area with warehouses, a long building outlined in green, parked cars, nearby roads, and railway tracks.

Frequently asked Questions

Do I need a permit to busk?
You only require a permit to busk on City land if you are using dangerous materials or implements, where you need to apply for a Special Permit. All other buskers do not need a permit.

If you are busking in Fishing Boat Harbour or near the Eshed markets, you will need permission. Please contact the relevant land owners on this page, under the pitch locations, for their details.

What is a special permit?
Performers using dangerous materials and implements must hold a current Special Permit to use these items in their acts. All general conditions applying to busking and street entertainment in Fremantle apply to the holding of a Special Permit. Application for these permits will only be considered when the application is accompanied by public liability insurance, and every performer involved in the act needs to hold this special permit.

Examples of dangerous materials and implements are:

  • Knives or swords (including blunted edges)
  • Fire Acts of all kinds
  • Smoke
  • Working at heights
  • Whips or whip cracking

How much does a Special Permit cost?
A special permit is free, there is no cost.

What is the time limit for busking at one site?
The time limit is 60mins for each busking site except High St Mall which is 30mins.

Do I need to book the location that I want to busk in?
No you do not need to book the location to busk, all busking sites are on a first come, first served basis. Formal events or bookings are the exception to this, and take precedence over busking. If an event or permit is on the site you are looking to busk at, please move onto another site.

I don’t like buskers outside by business? What can I do?
If buskers have exceeded their time limit, or they exceed noise limitations, Community Safety officers, City of Fremantle Health Officers, and the WA Police have the right to move on buskers. Please contact the City of Fremantle through the contact details below for questions.

Where can I find more information about busking guidelines in the City of Fremantle.
Read up on the full rules and permits on busking through our Busking Guidelines document, linked above.

Contact us

Health team

T 1300 MYFREO (1300 693 736)
E health@fremantle.wa.gov.au

Community Safety

T 1300 360 666
Report an incident

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The City of Fremantle acknowledges the Whadjuk people as the Traditional Owners of the Fremantle/Walyalup area and we recognise their cultural and heritage beliefs are still important today.

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