Filming and photography: more information

Australian screen content is a powerful driver of tourism. Films and photographs strengthen Australia’s brand and provide compelling portraits of the country as a destination.

Screen production not only contributes towards boosting tourism in the state but raises awareness of NSW national parks environmental and conservation issues and promotes the appreciation of the natural and cultural environment.

NSW national parks and reserves offer a diverse range of natural wonders, from World Heritage-listed sites to beautiful beaches, subtropical rainforests to Australia's highest mountain in the alps. These protected areas play a critical role in conserving biodiversity, as well as our natural and cultural heritage. The diversity of these natural and cultural environments provides endless opportunity for filmmakers and photographers to New South Wales.

You can find a list of parks and search by region on the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service website.

Some parks, or locations within a park, may not be available for filming or photography if this is specifically prohibited by the park’s plan of management (PoM) or would have unacceptable impacts to the natural and cultural environment.

You should make yourself familiar with the relevant park’s PoM before submitting an application. The PoM contains information about the natural environment, Aboriginal heritage, history and recreational opportunities in a park.

The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) encourages visitors to the park to photograph or film their experience for personal use. If you intend to use the image for commercial purposes, then you are required to get our permission.

All commercial requests to photograph or film within a NSW national park or reserve must gain written approval from NPWS in advance by completing the filming and photography application.

All commercial filming and photography, including wedding filming and photography, requires approval from NPWS. You can complete the small-scale filming and photography application. However, if you are also using a drone to capture wedding images then you will need to complete the commercial filming and photography application.

If you upload your photographs of a NSW national park or reserve to a stock library for the purpose of sale to a third party, this is considered a commercial use.

You do not need permission from NPWS if not filming in a national park, but you are required to get approval from all landholders where your filming is being undertaken across different land tenures.

Please check the NPWS map to determine if your filming is on park.

You must request approval from NPWS before any photographs or film are sold for commercial purposes by completing the small-scale filming and photography application.

All commercial filming and photography, including family portrait photography, requires approval from NPWS. You can get approval by completing the small-scale filming and photography application.

Approval is required if you wish to take any photos or film on park where there is a commercial gain, including for the promotion of oneself, a product or topic. This includes any filming in which payment or material benefit (goods and services in lieu of payment) is exchanged. 

Please refer to the criteria for different types of NPWS commercial filming and photography applications available to determine which application you will need to complete before approval is provided.

There are 3 types of filming and photography applications.

Small-scale filming and photography

Examples include, but are not limited to:

• small-scale still photography
• wedding filming or photography
• speculative work
• location scouting
• professional family portraits
• private events.

Small-scale does not include advertising.

Film production and photography (low, medium or high impact)

Examples include, but are not limited to:

• specific projects or shows such as production films, television network productions, documentaries, educational films, government-sponsored filming
• commercial advertising
• images for magazines, postcards, commercial websites, promotional material, books and advertisements
• models/talent
• student productions.

Travel media

• Filming or photography projects specifically related to a travel or lifestyle program that provides significant benefit to NPWS through promotion of parks
• Programs where the feature story is focusing on the park being filmed

Examples could include Tourism Australia, Destination NSW (DNSW) and local council promotions and travel programs, such as Sydney Weekender.

Filming and photography approvals are divided into different categories, each with specific criteria that determine how approvals are managed and how fees are applied.

Only one criterion needs to be met to determine which type of approval will be required.   

Applications must be submitted before the proposed activity date. The minimum processing time required is:

• low impact applications: at least 7 business days
• medium and high impact applications: at least 10 business days
• applications involving drone use: at least 10 business days.

Applications received after 1:00 pm are considered to have been received on the next business day.

If any documents are missing from your application, the processing timeframe will begin only once all required documents have been submitted.

The time required to process a filming or photography application depends on the complexity of the filming application and the availability of staff. NPWS local area staff need sufficient time to appropriately assess an application once received to ensure all environmental impacts of the filming have been considered and that the filming activity does not compromise park values, visitor amenity or cultural values.

Responses to applications may be further delayed in exceptional circumstances, such as when incidents (for instance, fighting bushfires) are taking up staff time.

Late applications for low impact applications are subject to NPWS availability and cannot be guaranteed. Late application fees apply; please see the fee schedule.

Late applications are not accepted for medium or high impact applications.

Additional lead time (40 calendar days) is required for applications that require a Review of Environmental Factors (REF).

All equipment brought on to park and planned construction is subject to local area approval and may require a REF or other environmental or heritage assessment. Please refer to the NPWS development guidelines.

For filming on leased land for purposes not directly related to a lease, approval must be obtained from NPWS. The rights and interests of the lessee will be recognised in assessing any such filming application. If the application is to be approved, the lessee may seek to impose conditions or fees additional to those imposed by NPWS.

If you are seeking to film in national parks and other locations off park, you are required to get approval from all landholders. It is your responsibility to obtain approval for any locations off park.

Applicants must have public liability insurance with a minimum of $10 million to obtain approval to film or photograph in national parks and reserves. Your public liability insurance certificate of currency must name the department as an interested party. Please refer to the Apply to film and take photographs in national parks webpage for more information.

A condition of all approvals requires you to indemnify The Minister administering the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 on behalf of the State of NSW ABN 27 578 976 844 should any loss, damage or injury occur while you are filming or photographing in a NSW national park.

NPWS local area staff need to assess your application against other projects, events, and operational activities scheduled for your proposed date and location. Your application cannot progress without a clear location, date and time.

You are required to get written approval with an agreement from NPWS before any commercial filming or photography is undertaken on park.

In some circumstances, approval will not be given for a particular filming or photography activity or location. This may be due to commercial filming not being permitted under the park's plan of management, park closures, other events scheduled, park operational activities that may be impacted by the activity, activities that compromise the parks values, visitor amenity, and/or environmental and cultural values.

NPWS will advise you as soon as possible if your application is not approved and why.

NPWS does not permit any type of filming or photography in a NSW national park or reserve that is currently closed to the public.

A full list of the park closures and alerts across New South Wales is available at alerts for NSW National Parks.

If you are unsure if a particular area of a park is closed and it is not listed on the alerts page, please contact the Tourism Partnerships and Events Unit for more information at [email protected] or on 02 9585 6082.

The NPWS public register of filming approvals is listed on this website. The public register provides basic details about NPWS filming approvals, including name, area, the purpose of filming/photography and information of the conditions under which the approval was granted.

If your filming or photography activity intends to film locations that are culturally sensitive for Aboriginal people, including Aboriginal cultural sites, Aboriginal people or aspects of Aboriginal culture, you must consult with the relevant Aboriginal custodians to seek endorsement of the filming before it begins. The endorsement must specify the relevant activities and who endorsed them.

It is important to note that this letter of support from the Aboriginal organisation or local Aboriginal land council must be provided at the time the application is submitted to NPWS.

You can contact the NSW Aboriginal Land Council to assist in identifying a local Aboriginal land council that represents the Aboriginal custodians of where the filming will be undertaken. You can also request advice from the Tourism Partnerships and Events Unit, NPWS, on 02 9585 6082 or at [email protected].

Where an NPWS park or reserve is managed under a joint management agreement, the board of management of the park or reserve is also required to review all applications and approve the filming or photography activity. If an application relates to an NPWS park or reserve with a Part 4A Aboriginal land agreement, unique consultative and approval procedures will apply.

The timing and requirements for how your application will be assessed by the appropriate board or committee vary in individual cases due to each jointly managed park having its own management approach. Before you apply, please contact the NPWS Tourism Partnerships and Events Unit, Visitor Engagement and Revenue Branch, and they will assist you with communications with the appropriate board and committees.

It is important to note that applications for these licences in these jurisdictions may take up to 12 weeks longer than a standard approval.

For more information about joint management agreements, please visit the Aboriginal joint management of parks webpage.

There is a fee schedule for all commercial filming and photography applications.

Please note: filming and photography on Worimi Conservation Lands has a separate fee schedule and requirements.

The fee schedule sets out the fees that apply to commercial filming (except for commercial small-scale filming, where no filming application fee applies). Application fees must be paid before applications are reviewed. The application fee is non-refundable for cancellations or declined applications.

Application fees have been developed based on the size and complexity of a film production. The application fee will be determined based on the criteria outlined in the fee schedule (only one criterion from each category is needed to trigger a low, medium or high impact filming application fee).

In addition to the standard application fee, there is also a non-refundable drone application fee for those wishing to use a drone as part of their filming or photography project.

In addition to the application fee, there are additional fees which may be required to be paid under your filming or photography activity, including but are not limited to:  

• late application fees
• amendment fees
• supervision fees to cover staff time as necessary
• additional fees for assessing more complex applications
• charges for special requirements such as the hire of venues, exclusive use of sites or use of equipment
• vehicle entry fees
• fees for remediation and cleaning.

Venue hire fees must be paid for any commercial filming or photography undertaken in a NSW national park venue. You will still be required to pay your application fee and any other additional fees. You can find a list of venues on the NPWS Venues for hire webpage.

Application fees are payable when your application is made.

Registered charities or students undertaking a filming project as part of their education, who have a letter of support from their education provider, receive a 50% discount on the application fee and additional fees.

However, if you can undertake your production under the small-scale filming definition, you will not be required to pay an application fee.

There is no direct association between the length of filming and the cost of the application fee. The application fee is based on the amount of time it takes NPWS to assess an application and is not determined based on the length of filming or photography undertaken on park.

Filming and photography applications received for Worimi Conservation Lands will be referred to the Worimi Conservation Lands Board of Management for approval and include a separate fee structure, policy and approval process.

Approval is required to launch, land or operate a drone within a park for recreational and commercial purposes, as drones can interfere with or cause a nuisance to people or animals. The Drones in parks policy provides detailed information on using drones and how to apply for approval for recreational purposes only.

Commercial use of drones in NSW national parks requires separate approval and is subject to the Filming and photography policy as well as the Drones in parks policy.

Drone applications that involve 1 x crew and 1 x pilot will fall under low impact filming and photography. No commercial drone use is permitted under a small-scale application type.

There are drone exclusion areas which include a park, or parts of a park, where commercial and recreational drones cannot be launched, landed or operated because their impact on visitors, park management operations, wildlife or other sensitive natural or cultural values would be too high. Refer to the Drones in parks policy for more information.

Filming or photography on park can take place after hours where National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) supervision can be provided and access is available. Filming after hours may require special conditions to be incorporated into the approval. If required, you will be liable to pay supervision fees as outlined in the policy.

You may request exclusive use of an area within a park in your application and your request will be assessed accordingly. This may also include requesting visitors to the park to move away from the filming location or that parts of a park be closed to the public.

Should exclusive use of an area (such as a picnic area or venue) be requested, where the area is available to members of the public to book, exclusive use may be permitted. You must pay the appropriate hire fees and any additional fees required.

Exclusive use of an area may be required where an applicant requires exclusive use of a site for the construction of infrastructure or restricts the general public from accessing the site.

Please refer to the Commercial filming and photography fee schedule for more information.

All approved vehicles under the approval are required to pay the relevant park entry fees upon entering a fee-charging park.

You must include in your application all information about how you intend to present the location.

Depending on the location, some alterations to the site may be permitted, provided the site is returned to the original state once your filming is complete. Failure to return the site to its original state will result in loss of all or part of your environmental bond.

You cannot bring a pet into a national park or other land reserved or acquired under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 (NPW Act), except in some circumstances. Please refer to the Pets in parks policy for more information.

You are required to get prior written consent from NPWS for the publication or use of any NPWS logo (or its image), uniforms or insignia, and for NPWS employees to appear in any film or photograph.

Identifiable NPWS equipment, uniforms or insignia must not be portrayed in commercial advertising in any way that would imply endorsement of the product.

NPWS employees, while on duty or in uniform, may not be employed by you on a commercial basis.

NPWS will generally not approve applications to film and photograph activities involving the management and control of wild horses on national parks estate. Wild horse management and control activities include the euthanasia of animals for animal welfare reasons, and all forms of control including but not limited to passive trapping and removal, transport and holding of animals, mustering and shooting. 

Animal welfare and staff and visitor safety during wild horse management and control activities are a priority for NPWS. The presence of non-essential parties filming and photographing these activities has the potential to compromise the safe conduct of work.

All application, drone, amendment, late application and assessment fees are non-refundable.

Where additional fees are payable and the filming and photography project has not commenced, a 100% refund will be provided.

Please refer to the fees for venue hire for information on cancellation fees relating to venue hire.

Please refer to the Commercial filming and photography fee schedule for more information.

Where possible, you should nominate your contingency days as part of the assessment process and notify NPWS of the rescheduled date agreed upon by both parties. Any reasonable cost incurred by NPWS may be recovered from you.

You are required to pay 50% of the application fee each time an amendment is submitted, payable before amendments are assessed.

Additional fees may apply where your proposal changes significantly during the assessment process after approval has been granted.