Disruptive party music and/or anti-social behaviour e.g. screaming, yelling, abuse and intimidation from a private property should be referred to the police on 131 444. Police can attend after hours (depending on priority jobs) and have the authority to deal with amplified music.

Some residents mistakenly believe that party music can legally be played until midnight but that is not the case. Noise limits significantly reduce after 10pm from Monday to Saturday and after 7pm on Sundays. There are no such exemptions under the Regulations, although neighbours may be more accepting on Friday or Saturday night.

Neighbours will more than likely tolerate ‘one-off parties’ if they have been given advance notification of the address and date of the party, a time the music will be turned down or off, and the contact phone number of the party organiser.

Wherever possible, outdoor speakers should not be used, or at a minimum be directed away from neighbours’ homes. The bass should be kept low and the party moved indoors with windows and doors closed, particularly after 10pm.

Music may likely be considered as unreasonable by neighbours if it can be heard clearly (bass and audible lyrics) at their boundary. Neighbours are entitled to seek police assistance should the music/noise be considered unreasonable.

Department of Communities properties
We are unfortunately unable to investigate disturbance complaints relating to Department of Communities properties. Disruptive party music and/or anti-social behaviour (eg. screaming, yelling, abuse and intimidation) should be reported via the disruptive behaviour line on 1300 597 076 or their online form. The information you provide will be referred to a Housing Officer for further investigation. Please visit the Department of Communities website for more information.

All mechanical devices or installations such as garage doors, automatic gates, air conditioning units, exhaust outlets, pool pumps, any equipment that is switched on and left running must comply with assigned levels stated in the Environmental Protection (Noise) Regulations 1997 (Noise Regulations).

It is very important that homeowners consider the location and design specifications when choosing equipment to ensure you do not emit unreasonable noise. Section 80 Environmental Protection Act 1986 places the responsibility on the installer to ensure that equipment is installed so as not to create unreasonable noise.

Where the Town receives an investigation request, noise measurements may be taken from the requesting residence (noise sensitive property) to determine compliance with the Noise Regulations.

Under current noise regulations, assigned levels do not apply to noise emitted from the use of “specified equipment”, which is any equipment that requires the constant presence of an operator for normal use. Specified equipment includes many common household items, including lawnmowers, hand drills, whipper-snippers and basketballs.

To apply this exemption all four of the requirements need to be met by the operator;

1. The specified equipment is used in a reasonable manner.
2. The specified equipment has not been used for more than two hours since 7am on that day.
3. The noise resulting from the use of that specified equipment on those premises does not unreasonably interfere with the health, welfare, convenience, comfort or amenity of an occupier of the premises receiving the noise.
4. The specified equipment is used between 7am and 7pm on Monday to Saturday, or 9am and 7pm on a Sunday or public holiday.

Should you operate a hobby business from your residence, you will need to meet planning requirements for operating a home business, and if using specified equipment as part of the business, you must also comply with the above noise requirements.

Under current noise regulations, playing of musical instruments is permitted in residential premises. This may be undertaken between the hours of 7am to 7pm Monday to Saturday inclusive, or 9am to 7pm on Sundays and public holidays

Musical instruments may not be used for more than one hour per day – ideally in a one-hour period or two half hour blocks.

The instrument must be used in a reasonable manner – it cannot be played infrequently throughout a whole day despite a one-hour accumulative total and the windows and doors should be closed during this time.

Audible alarms can be annoying if they sound intermittently. The police have the power to gain entry and deactivate house or car alarms if they have been emitting unreasonable noise for more than 30 minutes. For assistance in this situation, please call police on 131 444.

Vehicles on private property are subject to the Noise Regulations. Regular over-revving of engines or prolonged idling prior to departing a residential location is considered a noise nuisance. We ask that you keep a Noise Log and submit it to the Town if this type of behaviour is ongoing. Click here for more information on noise logs and submitting a complaint.