Hannah Hammoud
Melbourne Airport has installed three new portable noise monitors in response to community feedback, however residents have raised concerns about their placement.
The airport announced on August 18 that it installed the new monitors in Keilor, Sunshine and Bulla, to provide the public with accurate measurements of overhead flight noise.
The relocatable monitors will supplement the six permanent noise monitors already located in nearby suburbs by Airservices Australia.
Melbourne Airport said the installation of these monitors is a direct response to community feedback received during the public exhibition last year of its Third Runway project.
Lead campaigner of the No 3rd Tulla Runway, an advocacy group opposing the development of the airport’s third runway, Shannon Meilak said whilst it is great to see noise monitors being implemented she believes they have been positioned in areas less impacted by noise.
“Of greater concern is the fact that these monitors have all been positioned in a relatively small cluster,” she said.
Ms Meilak cited the Victorian Department of Sustainability and Environment’s Melbourne Airport Environs Strategy Plan of 2003 which identifies that the majority of noise complaints from the airport originate within a 15 kilometre radius of the airport, reaching an additional five municipalities in Macedon Ranges, Whittlesea, Moreland, Darebin and Maribyrnong.
Ms Meilak said despite this information there are no noise monitors placed within these five municipalities.
Melbourne Airport chief executive Lorie Argus said the new monitors’ placement was flexible and could be moved to capture data in other communities if required.
“These monitors will provide local residents and businesses with more information to enable them to get an accurate idea of what noise events look like in their neighbourhood,” she said.
“The initial locations have been chosen based on community feedback and extensive testing to ensure there is minimal contamination from other noise sources such as major roads and wildlife.
“We know that noise generated by airport operations is a source of concern for some local residents and we hope these monitors will instil faith that we are working with them.”
