More than 300 people were treated for heat exhaustion when 25,000 rock fans packed into Endeavour Field for the Australia Made concert on Australia Day, 1987.
The last of a series of concerts in six capital cities, the show featured 10 of the country's top rock groups, including INXS, Jimmy Barnes, Mental as Anything, the Triffids, I'm Talking, The Saints, Divinyls and Models.
The music started at 1pm and bands played non-stop until about 9pm.
The event at the Cronulla Sharks' home ground was alcohol-free, and bags and Eskys were searched at the gates.
While an 80-strong army of security men maintained order inside the ground, police had trouble with 300 people on the outside.
"Police from Engadine, Sutherland and Cronulla were called to control people who sat outside the gates listening to the music, many of whom were under the effect of alcohol," the Leader reported.
"At least eight people were detained for being intoxicated.
"Four youths under the legal drinking age were taken to their homes. Two arrests were made under outstanding warrants - one each for possession of Indian Hemp and offensive behaviour."
Ambulance officers were kept busy with about 300 concert-goers needing treatment for heat exhaustion.
Models musician Peter Trotter collapsed while playing with Mental as Anything.
Paramedics were called onto the stage after the singer's heart pacemaker stopped during the performance.
He was taken to Sutherland Hospital in a satisfactory condition.
Nearby residents, who had long complained about anti-social behaviour associated with events at the ground and Sharks leagues club, once again called for stricter controls.
One resident said youths had pelted her garage door with cans and sat on fences across the road drinking for at least two hours.
She said people at the end of the street had been abused and children as young as 12 had been seen drinking from wine casks as they made their way to the concert.
In the lead-up to the concert, police warned the alcohol ban would be strictly enforced.
Inspector Ron Foster, from Cronulla police, warned "no leniency will be shown to hooligans".
"Anyone intoxicated will be turned away," he said. "Any trouble-makers will be arrested on the spot."
Residents in surrounding streets said they hoped the rock fans would show respect to property.
Similar concerts and discos in the past had resulted in thousands of dollars of damage through vandalism, they said.
Typical offences included urinating on lawns, stealing from letter boxes, dumping garbage, breaking water pipes and uprooting trees.
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