Council Review of Alcohol Free Zones: Feedback closes April 27 2025
Alcohol Free Zones (AFZs) may be established by councils to prohibit alcohol consumption in road-related public places to reduce antisocial behaviour and crime.
There are currently 19 AFZs in place across the peninsula which are all due to expire in 3 stages between 31 August 2025 and 30 June 2026. To streamline the review process and have a consistent expiration date the council are reviewing all AFZs together.
AFZs cover public road-related areas such as roads and adjacent footpaths, laneways and public carparks in designated areas across the Northern Beaches. Drinking alcohol in these zones is prohibited 24 hours per day, 7 days a week.
They are designed to improve public safety by preventing:
- disorderly behaviour caused by the consumption of alcohol in public areas
- the escalation of irresponsible street drinking to incidents involving serious crime.
AFZs can be an effective tool in managing public spaces that are experiencing issues with antisocial behaviour related to street drinking, allowing the Police to confiscate and dispose of alcohol if:
- a person is drinking
- there is reasonable cause to believe the person is about to drink or has recently been drinking in a designated AFZ.
AFZs are reviewed in consultation with Police and the community per the Ministerial Guidelines on Alcohol Free Zones 2009. If appropriate, an elected council can determine to re-establish an AFZ. AFZs may also be temporarily established for special events.
On Tuesday 18 March 2025 the council resolved to publicly exhibit the proposed establishment of AFZs.
The process for establishing an AFZ is guided by the Ministerial Guidelines for Alcohol Free Zones.
Council states it has assessed each individual location in consultation with Police and considered information including:
- Police data on alcohol related street offences
- complaints to Council
- Police and Council stakeholder meetings
- requirements under the Ministerial Guidelines for Alcohol Free Zones.
The council want to hear your thoughts on the AFZs proposed for establishment or re-establishment.
The proposals are:
To re-establish AFZs in:
- Brookvale (Pittwater Road: Warringah Mall bus stops)
- Church Point (Pittwater Road: Cargo wharf to Church Point Reserve carpark)
- Dee Why (CBD to the beach)
- Freshwater A (Shopping centre across to beach)
- Manly (CBD and bounding Ivanhoe Park)
- Narrabeen (Pittwater Road: Bridge to Goodwin Street and Wellington Street carpark).
To establish AFZs with altered boundaries in:
- Avalon (CBD and surrounds)
- Collaroy (Pittwater Road: adjacent to licensed premises)
- Mona Vale (CBD and surrounding streets and across to beach, and bounding Seabeach Retirement Village)
- Newport A (CBD and along to end of beach carpark)
- Newport B (around The Newport and across to Barrenjoey Road).
This reflects changes in community behaviour.
Not re-establishing the following AFZs after the expiry of their current term:
- Belrose A (Streets bounding Lionel Watts Park)
- Belrose B (Streets bounding Wingara Reserve)
- Cromer (Fisher Road adjacent to James Morgan Reserve)
- Forestville (Forestville Shopping Centre across to Warringah Road)
- Freshwater B (Adjacent to Freshwater A and Harbord Diggers).
These no longer meet the criteria under the Ministerial Guidelines.
The proposed establishment of Alcohol-Free Zones in Avalon, Collaroy, Mona Vale, Newport Zone A and Newport Zone B will run for the period of 1 September 2025 to 31 August 2029. The proposed re-establishment of the Alcohol-Free Zones in Brookvale, Church Point, Dee Why, Freshwater, Manly and Narrabeen will run for the period of 1 September 2025 to 31 August 2029.
FAQ's
What is the difference between an Alcohol Free Zone and an Alcohol Prohibited Area?
- Alcohol Free Zones (AFZs) apply to road-related public areas (e.g. public road, footpath, laneway or carpark).
- Alcohol Prohibited Areas (APAs) apply to non-road-related public places (e.g. parks, reserves and beaches).
Will the AFZ affect outdoor dining in restaurants and cafes?
Establishing the proposed Alcohol Free Zones (AFZs) will not restrict existing liquor licences within approved outdoor dining areas. If the café/restaurant has a liquor licence for the outdoor dining area and you are currently enjoying outdoor dining in this location, this will not change.
When determining new applications for outdoor dining, the council considers many factors including existing or planned AFZs. AFZs do not preclude an outdoor dining application from being approved nor the business's ability to apply for a liquor licence for this area.
Does the AFZ stop me from having a picnic in the park with a glass of wine?
Alcohol Free Zones (AFZs) do not apply to parks. AFZs only apply to roads, footpaths and public carparks as indicated in the maps.
View the maps of the proposed AFZs in the Summary of Assessment
Have your say
The council has put up one of its surveys in the AFZs consultation webpage residents may respond to.
Alternatively, residents may provide feedback in writing, marked 'Review of Alcohol Free Zones', Northern Beaches Council, PO Box 82, Manly NSW 1655.
Enquiries - Contact Information
Name: Community Safety Coordinator
Phone: 1300 434 434 (during business hours) or 131 450 (for translation services)
Email: council@northernbeaches.nsw.gov.au
The consultation runs from Friday March 21 until Sunday April 27 2025. To view the maps visit the AFZs consultation webpage
Review of Alcohol Prohibited Areas
On Wednesday, 29 May 2024 the council announced its Community Safety Advisory Committee had considered a review of Alcohol Prohibited Areas, with new locations and changes to some existing locations endorsed by council that week.
An Alcohol Prohibited Areas (APA) is a non-road related public place like a park, reserve or beach where drinking alcohol is prohibited. Council can declare an APA at all times or only for specific days, times or events.
The committee, consisting of representatives from Northern Beaches Police Area Command, councillors, the community services sector, community members and representatives from both State and Federal Members of Parliament met in November 2023 to discuss proposed changes.
The committee subsequently supported the proposal to declare four new areas 24-hour APAs including: Howard Ave Reserve, Dee Why; Village Park, Mona Vale; Wingara Reserve, Belrose; and the boardwalk at Church Point Reserve.
Mayor Sue Heins said then the changes bring a consistent approach to community safety.
“Previously, our APAs were inconsistent due to former Council areas having different approaches; however, the police have requested a uniformed approach to provide certainty for them and our rangers as to the restrictions and enforcement,” Mayor Heins said.
“This is a practical way in which Council can assist the police to improve public safety and to reduce alcohol-related incidents ensuring our parks, recreational areas, and public spaces remain safe and enjoyable for all residents.”
All council beaches (oceans and inner waterway beaches) are already 24-hour APAs. Council parks and reserves are also now APAs from 8pm to 8am, except for those declared as 24-hr Alcohol Prohibited Areas.
New signage will be installed as operational budgets allow, with high-profile locations prioritised, the council stated.
However, as can be read under the FAQ's above, a glass of wine when having a picnic in a local park is not prohibited.
