SwinburneA

September the 26Th, 27Th and 28Th we have experienced a constant loud droning/fan/humming noise that has been impacting our evening and early mornings to the extent that we are finding it difficult to go to sleep and stay asleep without waking up at least 3 times before 7.00am. This noise has been none stop for several days. We have reported to EPA several times over the last week and clarified with the EPA that the noise occurs between midnight Sunday through to midnight Friday (there has been a couple of times we can recall when on a Sunday afternoon the same noise experienced during the week has occurred, the last time this happened was approximately somewhere between 7 - 8 weeks ago).

SwinburneA

Wednesday the 21st September noise very loud tonight, impacting our sleep and home environment. Heard from EPA Geelong, they are investigating issues we have requested that any monitoring of noise be conducted in the evenings not during the day as we are not bothered or impacted during the day at present. They have requested when issues occur to call the EPA number, obtain a reference number, describe time/date and impact. If at all possible they have requested that we locate the source of the noise and share this information with them to assist in their investigations and resolving this issue.

Note: For the first time in approximately 6 - 8 weeks noticed on Friday evening the 23rd September the noise was not apparent(frequently most Wednesday, Friday evenings and late Sunday night/early Monday morning have been the loudest and most significant impacts), we were unable to venture out to identify industries in operation so we could not see if the source we think was operating. However we could here on Saturday night a consistent operating noise, it did not cause us concern, it was consistent with the noise heard from the Grain Mill previously, it did not impact our sleep.

SwinburneA

September the 15Th, tonight the noise was very loud, perhaps one of the loudest nights to date. We could not sleep and I developed a headache as a result of this humming/fan noise and sleep impact over the last few nights. I reported the noise again to EPA and obtained a reference number expressing my disappointment that I had not heard back in relation to 2 previous calls. The noise persisted so much that my partner went for a drive around 10.30pm and again identified the source, validating the noise location and industry site as Godfrey Hirst. Another call was made to EPA advising them of our findings and we requested action be taken to address these concerns as we are tired of the impact to our family. We are waiting in anticipation for a response to our concerns now, however we have been advised this will take 3 working days. Its been almost 2 weeks since our other call and no feedback relating to the outcome of EPA investigations. I am concerned that the investigations take place during the day and no-one investigates as the incident is occurring, so how can we establish the problem and cause with EPA if they do not send someone out as the incident occurs in the evenings. There is no point to doing investigations if we are not having an impact at the time of the investigation. It needs to be real time or its pointless. Very frustrated and tired.

SwinburneA

During the evening of Sept 13Th the noise has been terrible. It is very loud and we are again finding it difficult to sleep, noise become annoying from 8.30pm onwards. It was midnight and we were still awake, dozed off and woke up every couple of hours during the night/this morning as a result of this humming/fan noise. Will contact EPA today to see if they have any update as I have not heard back from them since their follow up call for the issues over a week ago. We are not looking forward to warmer weather as it will be difficult to leave windows and doors open with this noise if something does not change. Spoke to a neighbour and they informed me that they are feeling the persistent noise issue and they are not very happy with the current situation either. SwinburneA

13th september11

We also were annoyed by this noise last night at 330 - 4 am we commented how it was loud and hard to sleep . Right now at 8.41pm it is loud as well. Not sure about the day as we were not home.

SwinburneA

Monday the 12th of September; the noise on this evening was very loud. We found it difficult to sleep and you could hear it in the background when watching TV. The noise progressed all through the evening and we heard it well into the new morning.

SwinburneA

Last night (7Th Sept through to morning of the 8Th) we heard this annoying noise again. The noise was very loud and we found it difficult to sleep.

The EPA have contacted me to advise that they are investigating our concerns and have received another complaint, they welcomed our feedback. They expect to have a response for us later this week.

Look forward to hearing from them in relation to addressing these concerns. SwinburneA.

SwinburneA

Out walking and can still hear noise travelling across the football oval to our home. It is a humming type fan/swishing noise that is consistent in its rythm. I agree that the noise has increased significantly in the last 2yrs. I am not looking forward to the warmer weather as I will not be able to leave windows open at night due to the level of noise being experienced. Its difficult enough to sleep with the windows closed now! Concerned Neighbours SwinburnA.

SwinburneA

Hi have encountered issues with the noise over the last week. Especially Friday the 2nd Sept, we reported concerns to EPA and are awaiting feedback. After investigation with driving around streets to locate the noise we found that the Godfreys Hirst site was operating. Lights and Fans were going with excessive noise that travelled across to our location. On Saturday there was no noise, Sunday the noise was excessive again as with last night the 5th of Sept where at 4.00 am this the morning it woke us up. Several neighbours in our street have expressed thei concerns over the last week too. Concerned neighbours SwinburneA

Monday 5 Sep Noise

Was awake at 3.30am this morning listening to the fan noise

Got home from work and after road noise died down its still noisy tonight

Spoke to GHirst tonight they are looking into it - please post your disturbance for them to see

thanks

Update Industry now listening to our blog so please start posting for them

Its been awhile since my last blog but the noise hasn't stopped.

Last weekend was very bad (I can still hear it tonight). The following is an account:

On Friday there was noise all day (3 Sep 11) that was somewhat masked by daytime noises.

During the day I telephoned Barrett Burston's and Viridian (MHD). BB advised me that he didn't think Barrett Burston was making the noise as they had been operating for many many years without change to systems, he suggested I wander around the area to see if I can detect the source and find the right person to approach. MHD was very nice and open to looking at his operations to see if they were contributing to our disturbance.

By the evening it was very loud and I went out at 7 pm and drove past the industrial facilities to the north of Osborne Park. I went as far as the woodchipping facility past the port entry and stopped my car and turned it off. There were loud trucks operating there driving up and down piles of chips but the noise was different. I then drove to the front and then the side road of Godfrey Hirst and turned off my car and got out. This factory was very loud and the noise was just like the sound that we had been annoyed by at home. I then continued down McLeod Street and turned off the car and got out near the exit of Graincorp, I could still hear the noise from Godfrey Hirst and there was some noise from Graincorp but not nearly as loud or similar to the noise that has been annoying us. I then continued driving continuing to right on McLeod Street and stopped again outside Barrett Burston. This factory was noisy but not as noisy as Godfrey Hirst and had a different type of noise. I then continued on turning right into Mackey Street and stopped outside Viridian Glass (MHD). I listened to the noise from this factory which was producing some noise but not as noisy as Godfrey Hirst. I thought that it was very likely that the noise from Godfrey Hirst was the noise that was annoying us but that perhaps this noise had potential to combine with the lower noises from Barrett Burston and Viridian (MHD)? I'm not sure if these noises combine but would need to investigate on days when we are not annoyed by noise if Godfrey Hirst is or is not operating with very noisy operation. I then got back in my car and drove into Geelong.

I went out for the evening in Geelong and returned home at 10 pm and it was still very noisy. This morning (3 September) I can still hear industrial noise from my home.