Quiet Australia

Welcome

2007-12-20T18:12:00.001+11:00

If you value peace and quiet, then you have come to the right place. Here you will find other Australians concerned about noise pollution. Together, we can help protect our rights to quiet.

This website offers:

education on quiet
a support group
campaigns
news & media coverage
links to like-minded groups

Use the menu on the right to navigate through this website.

QuietAusChat Group

2007-12-20T18:11:00.000+11:00

This email discussion group is a supplement to the QuietAus group. Whereas QuietAus discusses major news items, campaigns, and noise complaints, QuietAusChat is a place to discuss things in detail which is not relevant to everyone in the main group.

New members are encouraged to first join the QuietAus main group. Then, if you need to discuss things in detail, join QuietAusChat.

You will then need to log into your email account and reply to a confirmation message. Instructions for posting to the group will be emailed to you.

Alternatively, if you also want full access to the QuietAusChat archive of previous emails, click the button below. At the QuietAusChat group, click on "Join This Group". You will then need to sign into Yahoo Groups, or click "Sign Up" if you dont already have a Yahoo Groups account. Then follow the steps until you have full access to the QuietAusChat group.

Click to join QuietAusChat

Test Post

2007-06-19T00:34:00.000+10:00

This is a test post to see how this picture looks on the website. I just need to write enough text to fill it up a bit and make it look like something other than nothing. Because nothing is not very good when you are trying to make something, and something is always better than nothing.

Although not always. Enough jiberring.

Offensive Noise Considerations

2007-06-10T19:24:00.000+10:00

From the NSW EPA document Noise Guide for Local Government:

Offensive noise considerations

When deciding whether noise is offensive an officer needs to consider the definition of offensive noise in the POEO Act. The following questions are expected to be relevant in helping to make a judgement about whether any noise is offensive noise. Not all of the questions posed need to be answered in the affirmative to indicate offensive noise, but when you are using them as a guide a description of the situation will emerge that should help you in making a decision in regard to the definition.

• Is the noise loud either in an absolute sense or relative to other noise in the area?

• Is the noise well above the background noise level?

• Does the noise include any tones, impulses or fluctuations in volume?

• Does the noise occur at times when unreasonable interference with comfort or repose occurs or is likely? For example, during evenings or at night?

• How often does the noise occur (hourly, daily, monthly)?

• Is the volume, duration or character of the noise typical of the type of activity in question?

• Is the noise affecting or likely to adversely affect people’s activities? For example, conversation, reading, studying, watching TV or sleeping?*

• Is the noise typical of activities conducted in the area?

• Only one person need be affected as described in the definition for a noise to be deemed offensive. However, consideration of how other neighbours exposed to the same level of noise are affected may assist in deciding what course of action is appropriate. Some councils have a policy of requiring a minimum number of complaints from separate individuals before taking formal action.

* Statements should be requested from complainants about the effects the noise is having on them. Where statements help in an officer’s determination of offensive noise then the person giving the statement should be told about the potential need to give evidence in court.

Links

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Australian

Quiet Tasmania
Noise Watch Australia
Noise Tasmania
Bark Action Group
Responsible Pet Ownership - Bundaberg, Qld
Molonglo Landscape Guardians - wind farms, NSW
Tyagarah Sustainable Community Alliance - Byron, NSW
Farm Noise & Hearing - South Australia
Citizens Aviation Watch - see Aus links
Sunshine Coast Airport
Rivermouth Action Group - Qld

New Zealand

Quieter Please ! - We are some of the hundreds of people living within earshot of the Powerbuilt Ruapuna Motor Racing Facility in Christchurch, New Zealand ... In 1999 our City Council very kindly gave the management of this facility, permission to operate for 365 days a year. Previous to this rule change the local community and Ruapuna had lived in relative harmony - they were allowed to operate 120 days a year, which gave us a fair amount of peace and quiet ...there are many, many weeks when we are exposed to Noise seven days a week, and on some of these days we are exposed to noise from nine in the morning until, literally, past 11 at night.

Noise Off, New Zealand - promoting the reduction of motor vehicle noise emissions throughout New Zealand for the improvement of the heath & well being of our communities & the quality of our environment.

International

Noise Off - combating noise pollution everywhere
Noise Free America - devoted to fighting noise pollution
Right to Quiet Society - Canada
Noise Pollution Clearing House - reducing noise pollution at the source
BarkingDogs.net - comprehensive source on chronic barking
Lighthouse Woods - Noisy Neighbors - the language is a tad colourful
CALM Network - European transport noise

Miscellaneous

Noise Sensitive - about coping with noise, from a mental-health viewpoint. The world can be a noisy place, difficult for sensitive people to endure. How should we cope?

Australian Articles

Noxious Barking: Insanity Exposed - Tasmanian Peter S. Bright's essay on Noxious Barking: Lifting the lid on owners, councils, legislation.

Strata Life - At last, someone is listening (Sydney) - with increasing numbers of strata developments being built and occupied, the State Government needs to fast-track new legislation to keep up with what is already the most significant lifestyle change in this country in generations.

The Doof-Doof Factor - It used to be woof, woof; now, it’s doof-doof. Barking dogs have given way to car stereos and home theatres ... trying to listen to classical music in his home but found he couldn’t sufficiently insulate himself from the doof, doof emanating from a nearby home. Unhappily, like most over 50, he’s resigned himself to this annoying feature of contemporary urban life.

The Doof-Doof Music - B.J. Coman, Quadrant Magazine
And so, it is true to say that the doof-doof music is but a tiny part of a much larger problem. Nonetheless, I believe it to be far more irritating than most other noises because it is a deliberate assault on silence and upon other people's privacy. Jet engines are louder. So are some large trucks, jackhammers, ambulance sirens, and so on. But we are prepared to tolerate these noises as being a necessary evil.

Quiet please! Fighting noise pollution - Australian academy of science (also see links on right of page).

Australia's traffic too noisy - Australia's vehicle noise limits are double the level of international standards and need to be upgraded ..

Dr. Karl - Thanks to a mate's tape recording that he made in the Simpson Desert, and a cute set of anti-noise headphones that I tested in a Dick Smith shop, I suddenly realised just how noisy our cities really are.

Campaigns

2007-06-10T16:15:00.001+10:00

Advertising Standards - noise in advertising
Quiet Ride - noisy iPods on public transport

Contact

2007-06-10T16:01:00.000+10:00

QuietAus Email Group - QuietAus is an email discussion group for Australians concerned with noise pollution. From noisy neighbours, loud cars, to barking dogs, and endless other sources of noise. Anyone with any noise pollution concern is welcome to join. You can vent your frustration and talk about practical solutions to your problem. You can also get involved in campaigns lobbying politicians, etc.

You will then need to log into your email account and reply to a confirmation message. Instructions for posting to the group will be emailed to you.

Alternatively, if you also want full access to the QuietAus archive of previous emails, click the button below. At the QuietAus group, click on "Join This Group". You will then need to sign into Yahoo Groups, or click "Sign Up" if you dont already have a Yahoo Groups account. Then follow the steps until you have full access to the QuietAus group.

Click to join QuietAus

When posting to QuietAus please note that everyone has their own particular noise issues and will not be interested in all emails. Hence the group is moderated, and frequent posters are directed to use the following two additional groups for less important matters.

QuietAusNews: whilst QuietAus discusses major news items that most people would be interested in, the QuietAusNews group exists to discuss less important news items. Join the QuietAusNews email group or blog.

QuietAusChat: for those who need to discuss things in details which are not relevant to the QuietAus group, please join the QuietAusChat group. New members are encouraged to join QuietAus first.

Education

2007-06-10T15:51:00.001+10:00

Effects of Noise

The Harmful Impacts of Noise - Dr Craig Mixon
EnHealth Report- NSW Health Dept
World Health Organisation - community noise

Authorities

National - ADR 83/00 Motor Vehicle Noise
National - Department of Transport
National - National Transport Commission

NSW - EPA
NSW - Noise Brochures
NSW - Protection of the Environment (POEO) 1997
NSW - POEO Noise Regulation 2000
NSW - POEO Noise Regulation 2007 (proposed)
NSW - Police: I want to make a noise complaint
NSW - Offensive Noise Considerations

QLD - EPA
QLD - Which authority deals with my noise complaint?
QLD - Police Powers & Responsibilities Act 2000
QLD - Environment Protection Act 1994
QLD - Environment Protection (Noise) Policy 1997
QLD - Environmental Protection Regulation 1998
QLD - Noise Legislation Search

News Reader

2007-05-02T20:11:00.000+10:00

These are latest items in my news reader. Highlights from here are posted onto the QuietAus news blogs:

Noise News

2006-07-08T22:38:00.002+10:00

To join the QuietAusChat email group, enter your email address below and click on button:

To join the QuietAus email group, enter your email address below and click on button: