Credit: JCDecaux
Australia's night-time economy has grown into a $188 billion driver of activity and spending, up 29% since 2021, according to a report from outdoor media company JCDecaux and urban strategy firm Right Angle.
The report, The 5 to 9 Economy, found more than four million Australians now regularly work at night across healthcare, retail, transport, technology and education.
It found 82% go out at night to spend time with friends and family, while more than half said illuminated signs, including advertising, make public spaces feel safer and more alive after dark.
The research also found 39% of people report an improved mood during nighttime journeys, compared with 30% during daylight hours.
Max Eburne, co-CEO of JCDecaux ANZ, said the hours between 5pm and 9am represent a significant opportunity for cities and brands.
"The 5 to 9 economy is already a core part of how millions of Australians work, move and connect. When we design cities and campaigns with those hours in mind, we open up a powerful new space for growth, connection and creativity," Eburne said.
The report also points to climate as a structural driver of the shift, with extreme heat shown to reduce consumer spending by nearly 10% during peak daylight hours, pushing activity into cooler evening windows.
The report breaks night into four windows, evening (5pm–9pm), early night (9pm–midnight), deep night (midnight–3am) and early morning (3am–9am), each with different behaviours, audiences and infrastructure needs.
Eburne said the framework gives advertisers more precision.
"The people you reach at 7pm in one precinct are not the same as the people you reach at 1am on a transport corridor or 6am on a commuter route," he said.
"Programmatic buying lets advertisers target by day and time, adjust schedules as patterns shift and align creative with what people are actually doing that night whether it's a major game, a big event or simply a busy night in key precincts.
"That is the space where out-of-home competes most directly with digital platforms and where we can keep proving how powerful contextual out-of-home can be."
The report argues cities with dedicated after-dark strategies, ministers or commissioners are outperforming those without, and that targeted investment in inclusive nighttime precincts delivers a $13 return for every $1 spent.
Transport, lighting and amenity improvements are also cited as drivers of stronger night-time participation.
In areas like Burwood, Eburne said appetite for night activity outpaces current infrastructure.
"More than half of people say they would like to stay out until at least midnight, even though 74% currently go home at 9pm," he said.
"There's still plenty of opportunity for life after dark with people showing a lot of interest where the right infrastructure and transport conditions are in place."
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