Noise

Noise from music can become a nuisance when it’s too loud, too frequent, or occurs at unreasonable hours, impacting others’ comfort and enjoyment of their home.

For noise outside hours, you can contact Tasmania Police 131 444.

Below are the permissible hours.

Machinery noise outside of the times below can be reported–this includes machinery such as mobile machinery, forklifts, trucks, power tools, cement mixers etc.

Mowing your lawns outside of the below times can results in a noise complaint:

Chainsaw’s can only be used for one day a week (or 7 consecutive days) for domestic garden maintenance in residential location.

If chainsaw use is not on a residential property, it must not be within 300 metres of a residential property unless approved by City of Clarence.

Be considerate of your neighbours by preventing noise between 7.00pm-7.00am

People who live in different areas will have different expectations of the types of noise that will occur. In a rural area it would be reasonable to expect that poultry, including a rooster, would be kept by a property owner. However, in a residential area, it could be considered unreasonable.

Noise complaints are considered through this context under The Environmental Management and Pollution Control Act (EMPCA) 1994. It explains that a noise is an offence if it is unreasonably interfering
with a person’s enjoyment of the environment by evaluating its volume, intensity, duration, time, and place in which it is emitted.

Should the noise be considered unreasonable in the opinion of the Environmental Health Officer, it must be reduced or ceased.

Recreational vehicles (e.g. trail bikes, quad bikes etc.) must not be operated within 500m of residential property.

It is illegal to use recreation vehicles in reserves as they can cause safety issues for walkers and horse riders. They also cause erosion and damage to native flora.

Recreational dirt bike facilities (motocross tracks) and clubs provide safe, legal places for riders. It is your responsibility to know who manages the land you are riding on and to make sure you are riding legally. For more information on local groups and information please contact:

• Motorcycle Enduro Riders Club
• Southern Junior Dirt Bike Club
• Southern Tasmanian Motor Cycle Association
• Sustainable Timber Tasmania (permits required)

Petrol-Powered Bicycles 

These bikes are known as ICE bicycles, as they’re fitted with internal combustion engines. They can travel at high speeds and tend to be dangerous, noisy and a risk to the rider and the broader community.

It is illegal to ride an ICE bicycle on Tasmanian roads (unless registered), bike paths, parks and reserves.

To report illegal bike use

• For non-urgent assistance please contact Tasmania Police 131 444.
• Or submit an anonymous crime report to Crime Stoppers Tasmania: 1800 333 000
• To report nuisance trail bike riding on private land, contact us or 03 6217 9500 or report an issue.

Noise problems usually occur when the effects of noise emission from the outdoor parts of fixed equipment (such as heat pumps) are not carefully considered when selecting its location, such as facing it directly at a neighbour’s window.

The following should be carefully considered when selecting the location for the outdoor unit of fixed equipment:

• Noise travels in straight lines and can be reflected by walls, brick fences and other hard surfaces.
• Consider the surrounding environment’s background noise levels and chose a unit to suit. The lower the dB(A) level the better.
• Locate the unit as far away from your bedrooms and the neighbour’s bedrooms as possible.
• Never face the condenser fan discharge or any vent directly towards the window of a neighbour’s residence, particularly those of habitable rooms or outdoor living areas. The unit should face the boundary fence of the property furthest away from the adjoining residences; fences and walls between your property and the neighbours may help to reduce noise transmission. Remember that while a brick fence may prevent noise travelling to the neighbour on the other side it will also reflect the noise.
• Try to avoid mounting the outdoor parts of fixed equipment on the house wall and above ground level, as this can result in the transmission of noise to neighbouring properties. The outdoor parts of fixed equipment should be mounted at ground level on a solid base, preferably concrete and on a rubber pad to help minimise vibration.
• Where pipes or lines pass through walls there must be adequate clearance and insulation, this will help prevent vibration within walls, as this has the potential to magnify noise.

We suggest using a fixed equipment installation contractor to help prevent noise problems before they occur.

After installation it is important that fixed equipment is routinely serviced to ensure that noise nuisance from rattles, vibrations and worn parts is not created over time.

Heat pumps and air conditioners
Environment Protection Authority Tasmania has a set of guidelines and handy facts that covers heat pumps and air conditioners.

Noise levels from fixed equipment are controlled under the Environmental Management and Pollution Control (Noise) Regulations 2016.