EPA’s guide to noise from events

If you run an entertainment venue, festival or outdoor music event, the EPA has a new guide to help separate reasonable noise from sounds that annoy.

EPA’s new Entertainment Venue and Outdoor Event Music Noise Guidelines explain the laws, the limits and just how late you can keep the tunes blasting.

EPA CEO Lee Miezis says it’s all part of the EPA’s simplified permits for music events.

“We’ve been talking to the music and events industry and removed the need for multiple permits for events that run for several days,” Mr Miezis said.

“We recognise paperwork doesn’t reduce noise, so we redesigned the permit process to take the complications out while keeping in protections for the public and environment.”

The EPA’s improved system supports promoters and the ticket buying public, while continuing to work alongside local councils who deal with parking and the police who respond to complaints.

Taking effect in 2021, the revamped Environment Protection Act 2017 changed the way noise emissions are assessed and managed.

The legislation set more sensible expectations for Victoria’s live music industry – it includes protection for long established venues in changing urban areas and easier ways for operators to measure noise. The 2021 legislation retained noise limits and introduced new decision-making processes to decide when noise becomes noise pollution.

As well as applying a limit to noise, the EPA can assess whether it is unreasonable, based on how far the noise spreads, how loud it is, how long it lasts, its character – bells or chainsaws – and the time and place it occurs.

The legislation includes a General Environmental Duty that applies to everyone, so if your activity involves noise, it’s your duty to be proactive and reduce the level of risk as far as reasonably practicable.

“Where we can protect the public and environment while making it easier for the operators to comply with regulations, that’s a win for everybody,” Mr Miezis said.

The EPA’s guidelines are handy tools for business, individuals, communities and councils who hold outdoor music events and festivals can be found by visiting www.epa.vic.gov.au and searching ‘Entertainment venue and outdoor event music noise guidelines’.