Aircraft noise in Melbourne (3000, 3004)
On a typical day, about 23 aircraft pass over Melbourne — mostly arrivals at Melbourne Airport (Tullamarine), between roughly 3,000 and 5,000 ft. Helicopters and light aircraft add another 8 low overflights a day. Estimated peak ground noise reaches 75–88 dB — enough to interrupt conversation outdoors. It ranks #53 of 128 Melbourne 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 Melbourne · updated monthly
Where the noise comes from
Melbourne hears traffic from 2 distinct sources:
Melbourne Airport (Tullamarine)
live map →14 overflights/day (65%) · typically 4,200 ft
The CBD's fixed-wing traffic is arrivals descending across the city at moderate altitude toward the sequence — audible between buildings on quiet mornings, invisible against daytime street noise.
Helicopters & other light aircraft
8 overflights/day (35%) · typically 1,000 ft
Lower and more noticeable are the helicopters: the Yarra-bank helipad and city scenic and transfer flights keep a steady daylight rotor presence around the CBD.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Richmond | 25 | #50 |
| Melbourne | 23 | #53 |
| East Melbourne | 17 | #65 |
| Southbank | 14 | #74 |
| Albert Park | 10 | #89 |
| South Yarra | 7 | #109 |
| South Wharf | 5 | #127 |
Common questions
- Is Melbourne under a flight path?
- Yes — Melbourne is under Melbourne Airport (Tullamarine) flight paths, with around 23 overflights on a typical day, mostly arrivals.
- Which airport's aircraft fly over Melbourne?
- More than one source: Melbourne Airport (Tullamarine) (~14/day), other low-flying aircraft (~8/day). The breakdown above shows each source's pattern.
- What time do planes start over Melbourne?
- The first movements typically pass over Melbourne around 4:47am, building through the morning peak.
- Is it quieter in Melbourne on weekends?
- Slightly — weekends average about 11% fewer overflights than weekdays (22 vs 25 a day).
Checking a specific address?
This page shows suburb-wide averages. An address report gives you the exact overflight count, altitudes, hourly pattern and noise estimate for one property. Leave your email and we'll let you know when reports are ready for Melbourne.
