Six years on from the pandemic, Australia’s night-time economy (NTE) has never had more businesses – but growth in 2024/25 varied between states, cities and sub-sectors, with some areas adding jobs and venues at pace while others contracted.
According to a report by the Council of Capital City Lord Mayors, this year’s data points to an NTE that is structurally shifting: more food-led, less reliant on traditional drink venues, and increasingly influenced by how cities are planning, programming and governing activity after dark. These are five key insights emerging from this year’s report.
Australia’s night-time economy continues to evolve in response to changing consumer behaviour, economic pressures, work patterns and social trends. Across Australia, businesses and cities are adapting to growing demand for social connection, experience-led spending, wellness-focused activity and more flexible patterns of activity across the full day and night.
Key trends across city night-time economies include:
Victoria’s night-time economy is surging
Victoria recorded the strongest Core NTE employment growth of any state, adding over 30k jobs (+10%) driven by a +13% surge in Food employment alone – and outpacing every state and territory. Melbourne led on establishments too, adding 177 venues (+6%) – the strongest city-level growth in this year’s report.
The Drink sub-sector is contracting
The number of Drink establishments fell for the second consecutive year, down 112 venues (-1.2%) to 9,301. This was consistent across most states and territories with the exception of Queensland where Drink businesses increased (+3%) and the territories which saw no change.
Food dominates but the mix in activities is shifting
Food accounts for 62% of all Core NTE establishments and 64% of employment with both metrics growing in 2024/25. Leisure & Entertainment matched Food’s establishment growth rate (+2% / +868 businesses), but shed 4,100 jobs (-1.4%), giving back gains from the previous year’s post-pandemic recovery. The NTE is becoming more food-led, while entertainment activity is growing in breadth but not yet in workforce depth.
Thursday is the new Friday
Thursday evenings (6pm to 9pm) are now the peak trading night in most cities – only Adelaide, Hobart and Perth peak on a Friday with Melbourne strong on both nights. In Maribyrnong and Penrith, 72% of Core NTE businesses trade on Thursday evening, reflecting a mid-week peak shaped by hospitality and service-sector demand. While the Friday-Saturday weekend is still strong after 9pm, it is no longer the sole anchor of evening trade.
Cities are planning more actively for life after dark
Councils are increasingly embedding night-time and 24-hour economy priorities into planning, cultural programming, public space improvements and business support initiatives as cities adapt to changing patterns of activity across the full day and night.
The Measuring the Australian night-time economy 2026 report is available here: 2026 Night-time economy report
The Council of Capital City Lord Mayors acknowledges Dr Anna Edwards and her team at Ingenuim Research for our partnership on this important annual research. Enquiries: [email protected]