About the Event

Join us for an evening of networking, light refreshments and engaging speakers – all in the heart of Surry Hills.

Proudly supported by the City of Sydney’s Business Sector Support Grant 2024–25, this event brings together business owners, operators, and creatives from Surry Hills and surrounding precincts to:

Share ideas
Learn about local initiatives
Connect with community and government representatives

Whether you're from around the corner or from the next suburb over – come meet your neighbours and grow your local network.

Event Schedule

🕔 5:30–6:00pm – Guest arrival & pre-presentation refreshments

🗣️ 6:05–6:20pm – Welcome & update from SHBP Board

🎤 6:20–7:05pm – Guest Speaker Sessions (15-minute talks)
Hear from an inspiring lineup of speakers:

Councillor Adam Worling – City of Sydney Councillor & Advocate for Creative Industries and Community Engagement
- With over 35 years as a resident of the City of Sydney, Adam has lived in Potts Point, Kings Cross, Redfern, and Surry Hills. Beginning his career as an apprentice chef, he transitioned into retail and public relations, founding his own PR agency. Over two decades, Adam has collaborated with notable brands like David Jones, Carla Zampatti, Aje, Ginger & Smart, and the Melbourne Fashion Festival. Passionate about sustainability, he has worked with the charity Thread Together, redistributing excess new clothing to vulnerable Australians. Adam is also a financial supporter of the arts, including the Sydney Dance Company and the Sydney Film Festival. In 2017, he organized a rainbow flashmob in Hyde Park, rallying over 500 fashion industry allies in support of Marriage Equality.
Lucas Hazelton - Business Relationship Manager Sydney Central, Service NSW Business Bureau
- Service NSW is a NSW Government agency. It joined the Department of Customer Service on 1 July 2019. We deliver world-class one-stop-shop services for customers, businesses and our partner agencies. At Service NSW, a positive customer experience is our highest priority. We draw on the best in service delivery from the public and private sectors to provide leading customer experiences either: -online -over the phone, or -face-to-face through one of our 107 Service NSW Centres across the state, 77 of which are in regional NSW.

🤝 7:05–8:00pm – Networking continues
Enjoy some refreshments, share ideas, and connect with fellow local professionals and creatives.

✅ Who Should Attend?

Local business owners & operators
Staff & team members
Freelancers, creatives & entrepreneurs
Anyone interested in building local connections

This is a free event hosted by the Surry Hills Business Precinct and made possible by the generous support of the City of Sydney.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Contact the host of GATHER @ THE SHAKESPEARE HOTEL SURRY HILLS