Aircraft noise in Petersham (2049)
On a typical day, about 21 aircraft pass over Petersham — mostly a mix of arrivals and departures at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, below 3,000 ft. Helicopters and light aircraft add another 2 low overflights a day. Estimated peak ground noise reaches 86–90 dB — enough to interrupt conversation outdoors. It ranks #59 of 139 Sydney suburbs for aircraft noise exposure. (Flight Path Noise monitoring data, 90 days to 2026-08-21.)
Data: 90 days to 2026-08-21 · all tracked aircraft over Petersham · updated monthly
Where the noise comes from
Petersham hears traffic from 2 distinct sources:
Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport
live map →19 overflights/day (92%) · typically 1,700 ft
Petersham shares the inner west's double exposure in a milder form than its neighbours: 16R arrivals descend nearby on south-flow days and 34L departures climb past on north-flow days. Sitting slightly off the runway centreline softens both streams compared with Stanmore or Marrickville next door.
Helicopters & other light aircraft
2 overflights/day (8%) · typically 600 ft
Around 2 low overflights a day come from aircraft not operating at a tracked airport — helicopters, seaplanes and light aircraft transiting the area. Light-aircraft counts are tracked overflights only — many training and private aircraft carry no ADS-B transponder, so true numbers are higher.
Light-aircraft counts are tracked overflights only — many training and private aircraft carry no ADS-B transponder, so true numbers are higher.
How nearby suburbs compare
| Suburb | Overflights / day | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Marrickville | 102 | #3 |
| Stanmore | 72 | #8 |
| Leichhardt | 71 | #10 |
| Petersham | 21 | #59 |
| Dulwich Hill | 20 | #64 |
Common questions
- Is Petersham under a flight path?
- Yes — Petersham is directly under Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport flight paths, with around 21 overflights on a typical day, mostly a mix of arrivals and departures.
- Which airport's aircraft fly over Petersham?
- More than one source: Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (~19/day), other low-flying aircraft (~2/day). The breakdown above shows each source's pattern.
- What time do planes start over Petersham?
- The first movements typically pass over Petersham around 6:28am, once the curfew (11 PM – 6 AM) ends. Traffic builds through the morning peak.
- Is it quieter in Petersham on weekends?
- Slightly — weekends average about 13% fewer overflights than weekdays (20 vs 23 a day).
- Do planes fly over Petersham at night?
- The main airport's curfew restricts movements between 11 PM – 6 AM, so overnight overflights are rare. The last movements are typically around 9:55pm.
Checking a specific address?
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