Council has 19 public ovals across Darwin, available to use for a range of sports, community events and informal physical activity.
Booking an Oval
Hire Fees
Hire fees apply to use an oval for any organised activity. Please refer to the Sporting Ovals section of the 2022-23 Fees and Charges (p42-45).
Casual Bookings
All special events and casual bookings must be applied for. This applies to sporting clubs even if they have a Seasonal Oval Allocation and a home ground, and includes but is not limited to sign-on days, fundraisers, pre-season training, etc.
For casual bookings, please contact Customer Services on 8930 0300 or complete the Event Application/Permit
Seasonal and Pre-Season Oval Allocations
Dry Season
April – September
Wet Season
October – March
Pre-Season*
Up to 6 weeks before start of each season
*No pre-season training permitted on Gardens Oval One.
Seasonal and pre-season Oval Allocations must be applied for through your sport's Peak Body (eg AFL NT, Football NT or NT Cricket); please contact them in the first instance. If you are not affiliated with a Peak Sporting Body, please contact Council’s Recreation Services Officer on 8930 0419.
Application packs are sent to key Peak Sporting Bodies six to eight weeks before the start of each season for distribution to their clubs.
Each Peak Sporting Body then co-ordinates the requests from their individual clubs and manage any conflicts.
Seasonal Oval bookings may not be shared without prior written approval of Council.
Every seasonal or pre-season booking must be applied for, particularly where there is a cross-over of pre-season training with existing in-season bookings.
Sports Field Lights
Sport Field Lights are available at Bagot Oval, Gardens Oval One, Malak Oval and Nightcliff Oval.
You must have a booking to use the oval before access to the lights will be arranged, and there is an additional fee to use the lights, depending on the lux level. These fees can be found in the Schedule of Fees and Charges (see link above).
The lights are controlled via text message. A unique user PIN and instructions will be supplied to hirers as part of the booking process.
Lux levels and hours of operation