Noise
Noise can harm your health and the environment by causing stress, sleep disturbance and reducing quality of life.
The Environment Protection Authority (EPA) Victoria, Council and Victoria Police all regulate noise in Victoria.
The Environment Protection Regulations 2021 outline specific sources of noise and prohibited times.
Before you make a complaint and if it is appropriate and safe to do so, Council and the EPA encourages you to first speak to the people making the noise. They might not know the noise is a problem and could quickly resolve the issue.
| Type of noise |
Examples |
Who you can report to |
| Residential noise and residential construction noise |
- air conditioners
- pool pumps
- house parties
- stereo systems
- residential construction and demolition activities
|
|
| Commercial or industrial noise |
- restaurants
- gyms
- supermarkets
- manufacturing
- utilities
- commercial construction
|
|
| Music from entertainment venues |
- theatres and concert halls
- sporting events
- stadiums and festival grounds
- pubs, clubs and bars
|
|
| Major projects or state government activities |
- major infrastructure projects– for example, major road projects
- state government managed land use– for example, public schools or prisons
- noise from wind turbines
|
|
| Noisy vehicles and trains |
- Noisy exhausts
- Road traffic noise
- Noise from public transport services
|
|
You need a permit to use or allow others to use a powered recreational vehicle on land owned or occupied by yourself, if:
(a) that land is within a residential zone, commercial zone or industrial zone under the Planning Scheme, or the land is affected by an environmental significance overlay, heritage overlay, vegetation protection overlay, or significant landscape overlay under the Planning Scheme; or
(b) that land is less than 4 hectares in size.
Conditions of use:
- vehicles must not cause nuisance to others because of sound, smell, dust, smoke, soil erosion or any other factor that causes a nuisance, whether a permit is required or not
- vehicles must not be used within a distance of 500 metres of any neighbouring dwelling
- vehicles must be fitted with a muffler that meets Council's specifications
- no more than 2 vehicles may be used at any one time on land that is less than 20 hectares
- no more than 4 vehicles may be used at any one time on land that is more than 20 hectares
- vehicles may only be used for 1 hour continuously, after which no vehicles may be used for a minimum of 2 hours
- vehicles may only be used between 10am to 6pm Monday to Saturday and between 1pm and 4pm on Sundays and public holidays
- vehicles may not be used on Total Fire Ban days.
For more detailed information regarding the use of powered recreation vehicles including motorbikes, see Council's Community Local Law 2023.
To apply for a permit to use a powered recreational vehicle, contact Local Laws on (03) 5422 0333.