Has Anyone Applied for The NSW Noise Abatement Program?

Bignudge on 13/08/2020 - 11:16
Last edited 14/08/2020 - 12:31 by 1 other user

Just curious to know if anyone has applied or gone forward with the NSW Noise abatement program?

My property is right on a main road with two lanes going either directions. There are busses, trucks, exhaust deleted cars and motorcycles, and finally emergency vehicles with their sirens going past all day everyday. It's significantly worse at night with motorcycles and cars casually drag racing at the lights near my house once in a while during lower levels of road noise.

I've lived in the property for over 20 years and it was approved to be build probably over 50 years ago. After 20 years, me and my family have had enough of the noise and would finally like some support to fix this noise problem.

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  • ThithLord on 13/08/2020 - 13:36

    lol I don't think many of the current commenters have any idea what that program is actually for. I say definitely go for it - the landscape and how congested the road was 20 years ago is probably vastly different to what it is now. And by all checks and measures (I checked out the program on NSW Gov site) you would certainly be likely to be approved. Go for it.

    The program is definitely not for people whom have bought a house and then magically their road becomes extremely busy - how often would that even happen? Get off your high-horses, neighsayers.

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    • Drakesy on 13/08/2020 - 14:38

      It's not a high-horse.

      If you consciously make a decision to buy next to a busy road (the price will be cheap for a reason) then you would have to factor in the natural increase in traffic and congestion. If you buy on a quiet suburban street (which would be more expensive) then you naturally get a better street amenity.

      Motorbikes have for years been louder than cars and if anything the average car is now quieter albeit the odd - de-catted car.

      On suburban roads there's not allot you can do unfortunately anyway other than put up a higher/thicker wall or seal the windows although this isn't really going to solve the problem, just dampen the noise due to the age of the house unfortunately. The only real solution is to re-locate.

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      • Bignudge on 13/08/2020 - 14:58

        Well the government has set out this program to specifically help residents in that very scenario without needing to pay up or relocate. I was just asking if anyone has taken part in the program before so I know what things to expect regarding the timeframe, etc.

        And I'm sure a maximum of 30K can do alot to surpress noises from getting into the house. Double glazed windows, noise resistant doors and doorframes, sealed window edges, insulated walls/ceilings and high up fences.

        And trust me, anything is better when you've got straight piped 1000cc sport bikes drag racing past your house at 12-3am in the morning lol

        • 1
        • Drakesy on 13/08/2020 - 15:16

          Yeah that's fair enough.
          I guess go for it if the government's offering it.

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  • Kill Joy on 13/08/2020 - 12:26

    You said it yourself.

    it was approved to be build probably over 50 years ago
    I've lived in the property for over 20 years

    The land was always incumbent with this level of noise and always will be. You bought the land with this information, and they aren't going to do a thing for you.

    Move houses and let some heavy sleepers move in.

    • 3
    • k-rokfm on 13/08/2020 - 13:02

      "I bought a house near a racetrack, and they are making too much noise I want them gone!"

      This is why we cant have nice things

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  • Bignudge on 19/05/2023 - 10:55

    UPDATE: After being approved and being on a waiting list for years… It's finally settled.

    1. 5x Brand new aluminium frames+ double glazed windows.
    2. Solid wooden door + seals + painting.
    3. Ducted ceiling air vents
    4. Product and worksmanship warranty

    Totally free and apparantly 27K in value.

    If you haven't applied, I'd highly suggest it.

    • 3
    • Grunntt on 20/05/2023 - 23:51

      UPDATE: After being approved and being on a waiting list for years… It's finally settled.

      Thank you for coming back to update this thread - wish more people would do it. (oh… and congratulations to you)

      • 1
    • ZoeZoeZoe on 28/08/2023 - 19:04

      Hey there, just wondering how you proved the noise levels at your home (DB) inside and out? Did they come out and monitor it for you?

      • 0
      • Bignudge on 29/08/2023 - 12:47

        Hey there! Yes they sent someone out to place a microphone+box at the front of my house. No microphones inside the house. The box was left there for 2-3 weeks from what I remember.

        From this a noise report was generated including where the house was, the dimensions, where the source of the noise is, how loud the averages were at certain times etc.

        And from this noise report, the noise abatement team acted accordingly.

        All in all, I can't complain as it's quieter inside the house now and better sealed against the hot/cold weather.

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  • p1 ama on 13/08/2020 - 12:35

    My property is right on a main road with two lanes going either directions. There are busses, trucks, exhaust deleted cars and motorcycles, and finally emergency vehicles with their sirens going past all day everyday.

    Honest question - why did you purchase this property if you knew this was going to be the situation?

    I don't think you are going to get anything. You bought in knowing the situation and you agreed when you decided to buy.

    It's not like the government decided to come and put in a train line 100m away from your place and have freight trains rumbling through in the middle of the night. It's not like new roads were built…etc. which introduced noise that was not there previously.

    The fact that you've lived there for 20 years doesn't really bode well for your case, it'll just look like you're in need of a renovation and trying to put it on the public dime. (Not saying this is what you're doing, this is just how it appears).

    • 1
    • Bignudge on 13/08/2020 - 12:48

      Idk but… the requirements for this program specfically states that the house must be approved for construction over 11 years ago. And for the repairs to be free, I must of lived in the house for over 7 years; the lesser the number of years, the more I'll have to chip in.

      To me the program seems to be for houses built a long time ago and for residents who have settled for a significant amount of years.

      Also, traffic and the envirnoment changes over multiple decades. More trucks, more motorcycles, more emergency vehicles. And now with a section of the M5 running through my suburb being tolled for the first time since it was built… everyone's poured out onto the main road that my house is on.

      • 2
  • Drakesy on 13/08/2020 - 12:38

    Yep, if the road was there when you moved in then you have no grounds unfortunately.
    Similar rules surround those that move into loud nightclub bordering areas then complain about the noise. WA had to bring in laws to prevent people from complaining given the nightclub/entertainment district was already there. It really is classic Nimbyism.

    • 1
  • BrianJ1975 on 18/10/2023 - 15:10

    I had this treatment done to my home by Transport for NSW. I had to contribute to costs because of the length of time in the house. A word of warning. Be very careful about the style of window you select. Our front down stairs bedroom had old sash windows so we maintained the style. The room is still too noisy to sleep in, as opposed to the upstairs room which had an aluminium awning window put in. Still fighting to get it fixed.

    • 0
  • kinjeng on 04/09/2024 - 13:59

    Hey mates, thanks for sharing the noise abatement program. I just send the application form today. How long do I expect to get a response? Should I follow up by giving them a call?

    • 0
    • drhip on 23/06/2025 - 14:21

      Have you heard back from the gov?

      • 0
      • kinjeng on 24/06/2025 - 09:10

        Yes, I'm lucky, it's all settled two months ago.

        • 0
        • drhip on 24/06/2025 - 09:36

          Well done! Can I ask what did you do for your house and how much did you get from the gov?

          • 0
  • Plj1977 on 25/07/2025 - 10:26

    Hi
    We have recently applied. An old shop front so right on the boundary line, so fences, etc cant help

    What options did they give you?

    I understand new windows will help alot.. does a consultancy come out and discuss pr do they expect you to know what you want? Paperwork for application asked what we wanted and really, i dont know what will help the most. We have a brick front. Elevated. Weeping vents at front for moisture. Open under the house on the side. Windows old style push out ones. Both front doors have glass in them. First is entry way with wall dividing our bedroom. Next bit accross the front is a wall to our childs bedroom in which she is having trouble sleeping. Next part of the front wall is the lounge room (with another front door, the old shop part) and i cnat watch tv with the noise from the cars. I can in my room with tv up loud…. now they close a local police station and such we now have increased emergency services with sirens going past… some nights many times. While yes its emergency. It wasnt this bad until they closed the stations the suburb over so now past our place to service those areas previously serviced by other stations.

    We have the meter out front now. Till next week… 10 days all up… and what do you know… no sirens for days.. which is unheard of lol…

    • 0
    • InternetCrusader on 03/06/2026 - 12:10

      Hey Can you give an update. How long did it take for the whole process?

      • 0
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