Commercial Filming

Applicants may be required to provide the following documentation in support of their application, depending on the nature of the proposed activity:

• an Event Permit Application Form
• a copy of the company's current public liability insurance's certificate of currency (to the amount of $20,000,000 (twenty million dollars)
• a map detailing the location of all the relevant works or drone flight plan 
• letter/s of acknowledgement and acceptance of the filming from the relevant National institution/s 
• a risk management plan 
• a bond 
• provide a copy of their Remote Pilot Licence (RePL)
• provide a copy of their Remote Operator Certificate (ReOC) 
• provide a copy of CASA approval 
• a copy of the Roads ACT's temporary traffic management plan 
• any other relevant documentation, as requested by the NCA

Additional documentation may be requested if need during your application process 

Fees and charges may apply. The NCA Events Team will advise applicants of any applicable fees based on the proposed filming activity.

Filming Permit 
A Filming permit is an approval that allows individuals, businesses, or production companies to conduct commercial filming, photography, or related production activities on NCA managed land.

Drone Permit 
A Drone Permit provides approval for a drone to take off and land on Unleased National Land. Once the drone is airborne, all operations must comply with the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) regulations, as CASA governs drone activities while in flight.

Licence Agreement
A Licence Agreement may be required where a filming or production activity involves the exclusive use or occupation of an area of Unleased National Land. This approval allows a production company to reserve a defined area for filming or other production-related purposes for an approved period, subject to terms and conditions.

Works Approval
A Works Approval may be required where filming activities involve the installation or erection of temporary structures on NCA-managed land. This can include any production items or infrastructure (marquees, stages, fencing, lighting towers, signage). A Works Approval must be obtained before any works occur.
 

Unleased National Land venues controlled by the NCA are as follows:

• National Triangle
• Acton Peninsula (location of the National Museum of Australia)
• Anzac Parade
• Queen Elizabeth II Island (formerly known as Aspen Island)
• Commonwealth Avenue Bridge
• Commonwealth Park (east and west)
• Kings Avenue Bridge
• Kings Park
• Lake Burley Griffin
• Regatta Point
• Sir Thomas Blamey Square
• Springbank Island 

The National Triangle is the area bounded by Commonwealth Avenue (to the west) and Kings Avenue (to the east), and Parliament House (to the south) and the Lake (to the north). The venues within the Zone are as follows:

• Commonwealth Place
• Constitution Place
• Federation Mall
• International Flag Display
• John Dunmore Lang Place
• Magna Carta Place
• National Rose Gardens
• Old Parliament House Gardens (House of Representatives and Senate Rose Gardens)
• Parkes Place East, North and West Lawns
• Patrick White Lawns
• Reconciliation Place

National institutions within the National Triangle are as follows:

• AIATSIS
• Australian Parliament House
• High Court of Australia
• National Archives of Australia
• National Capital Exhibition
• National Gallery of Australia
• National Library of Australia
• National Museum of Australia
• National Portrait Gallery
• Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House
• Questacon (National Science and Technology Centre)

No vehicles are to be driven into and/or parked in the Commonwealth Place Cup Square, and/or the walkway connecting the Cup Square with the Place's upper levels.

No filming and/or production-related equipment is permitted within National Circle (including the Tunnel) during weekday peak-hour periods (ie. 7:00am - 9:30am and 4:00pm - 6:00pm).

Parliament House and its immediate surrounds, the Parliamentary Precincts, are controlled by Parliament House. Filming requests are to be directed to DPS Communications for Filming and Photography on 02 6277 2686 or Security Operational Planning for Applications to utilise the Authorised Assembly Area with Filming and Photography aaarequests@aph.gov.au.

Under no circumstances are any vehicles, equipment and/or works to be positioned on the Mound in Reconciliation Place.

Please note that much of the National Triangle is located within a designated no-fly zone that forms part of Canberra Airport’s controlled airspace. As a result, drone operations in this area require prior approval from CASA, and the drone operator must hold a valid Remote Operator Certificate (ReOC).

Any required road closures must, by law, be advertised to the public at least seven days prior to the closure taking place. Closures are to be managed by a temporary traffic management plan, which identifies what roads and/or areas of roads, need to be closed and the appropriate detours, signage and marshals required to control and maintain the flow of traffic.

Regardless of the size of the closure, production companies are required to contact and liaise with both Roads ACT (02) 6207 6601 and the Australian Federal Police's Major Event Planning Unit (02) 6287 0219 at least four (4) weeks prior to the commencement of filming.

It is the responsibility of the relevant production company to liaise with any institution or business that may be affected by a road closure. The company is to supply the NCA with a letter from the relevant institution, or business (prior to the commencement of filming) stating its acceptance of the closure.

The NCA has no authorisation over any filming conducted inside the buildings of National Institutions that are situated on National Land.

Filming related temporary structures (works) may be erected on Unleased National Land; however, any such structures require the prior approval, in writing, of the NCA. Structures (works) include film sets, marquees, tents, cabins, trailers, vans, sun-shelters, camera tracks, fencing, barricades, signs, port-a-loos, etc. A works approval application attracts an administration fee.

Should the production require the discharging of any firearms (including the firing of blank ammunition) a risk management plan, addressing the risk, is to be supplied to the NCA, and the Australian Federal Police (AFP) is to be informed of the matter.

The operating timings for the Captain Cook Memorial Jet (situated in Lake Burley Griffin's Central Basin - off Regatta Point) are between 11am and 2pm daily. 

Most venues located on Unleased National Land are equipped with electrical power outlets. In most cases, there is no charge for using these utilities; however, a bond, venue hire fee, or other associated charges may apply depending on the nature and scope of the filming activity.

For any production where there is a possibility of damage to the relevant area, production companies may be required to place a bond with the NCA to cover the cost of any relevant production-related refurbishment.

With the exception of the following, all vehicles are to be parked in the relevant area's designated car parks: Parking fees apply where applicable.

• Essential Filming Vehicles (vehicles carrying equipment and/or facilities required by the cast and crew to carry-out the filming; this includes vehicles for catering, costumes, make-up, lighting and/or additional props)
• Essential Vehicles (vehicles that need to be in close proximity to the filming location, eg. generator, props and shuttle vehicles, etc)
• On-Set Vehicles (vehicles used on-camera as a part of a filming sequence)