Aircraft noise in West Melbourne (3003)
Aircraft fly over West Melbourne roughly 7 times a day, the bulk of them helicopters and light aircraft, below 3,000 ft. Estimated peak ground noise reaches 82–88 dB. It ranks #113 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 West Melbourne · updated monthly
Where the noise comes from
Helicopters & other light aircraft
7 overflights/day (100%) · typically 1,100 ft
West Melbourne's noticeable traffic is rotary — helicopters tracking the Yarra and city pads at low altitude through daylight hours.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Yarraville | 76 | #13 |
| Port Melbourne | 38 | #35 |
| Spotswood | 29 | #42 |
| Melbourne | 23 | #53 |
| Docklands | 19 | #62 |
| West Melbourne | 7 | #113 |
| Footscray | 6 | #116 |
Common questions
- Is West Melbourne under a flight path?
- Yes — West Melbourne is directly under the area's flight paths, with around 7 overflights on a typical day, mostly arrivals.
- What time do planes start over West Melbourne?
- The first movements typically pass over West Melbourne around 9:34am, building through the morning peak.
- Is it quieter in West Melbourne on weekends?
- Weekends are actually busier here — about 33% more overflights than weekdays (9 vs 7 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 West Melbourne.
