Excessive Noise

Greater Hume Council shares responsibility for enforcing noise control legislation with the NSW Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), NSW Police, NSW Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) and Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing (OLGR). The type of noise and/or the location of where the noise is coming from will determine which agency will respond.

Council encourages residents to first contact their neighbour to discuss the problem and negotiate a resolution. Often they may not be aware the noise is a problem.

If resolution cannot be sought through Council intervention, depending on the circumstances, you can consider contacting a Community Justice Centre on T: 1800 990 777. 

In some circumstances Council may not be able to practically regulate the noise or it may not be able to gather appropriate evidence to take action on a person’s behalf or the complainant may be unhappy with the outcome of Council’s investigation. 

In these circumstances, the affected person may wish to consider taking private action independently of the Council by seeking a Noise Abatement Order through the local court under section 268 of the POEO Act. See EPA’s website for more information about how to go about this.

Noise from one-off situations (such as parties) or where the noise is occurring outside of Council’s business hours should be referred to NSW Police on T: 131 444.  If you are hosting a party, consider your neighbours – let them know it’s happening in advance and give them an indication of when to expect the music/noise to finish.  And be reasonable with the volume of the music.

A customer request form must be completed for all noise complaints.

Residential Noise Sources

Council will respond to concerns about noisy activities from residential sources such as from power tools, equipment, musical instruments, air conditioners, pool pumps etc, within reason. 

The Protection of the Environmental Operations (POEO) Act 1997 places time restrictions on noise from certain equipment in residential premises which should not be audible inside habitable rooms of any other residential premises.

Noise Source	Time Restrictions
Power tools and equipment such as compressors, swimming pool pumps, lawn mowers, leaf blowers, chain saws and the like.	Between 8pm until 7am weekdays. 8pm and until 8am Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.
Musical instruments and sound equipment such as radios, sound systems and public address systems.	10pm until 8am every day except 12 midnight until 8am on any Friday, Saturday or day preceding a public holiday.
Domestic air conditioners and pump water heaters.	10pm until 7am weekdays and 10pm until 8am weekends and public holidays.
Motor vehicles (except when entering or leaving premises).	8pm until 7am weekdays and 8pm until 8am weekends and public holidays.
Refrigeration units fitted to motor vehicles.	8pm until 7am weekdays and 8am until 8pm weekends and public holidays.

Commercial, Industrial and Other Noise Sources

Noise not from non-residential activities can be the responsibility of a number of different agencies depending on the situation.