Is Canberra Airport loud?

It depends almost entirely on where you live. Canberra Airport is curfew-free and runs 24/7, but since 1996 it relies on noise-abatement areas that keep jets above 5,000 ft and other aircraft above 3,000 ft over almost all built-up parts of Canberra and Queanbeyan — Airservices says this protects roughly 99.5% of houses from direct overflight. The real noise is concentrated in narrow approach and departure corridors. Suburbs on the southern Runway 35 arrival line — Jerrabomberra, Queanbeyan, Oaks Estate and Pialligo — hear the most. Drop a pin on the map above to see your address.

Why is there so much aircraft noise in Jerrabomberra?

Jerrabomberra sits directly under the Runway 35 arrival path. Because prevailing winds favour Runway 35 more than 70% of the time, most jets arrive from the south, descending over Jerrabomberra and Queanbeyan on a curving RNP-AR constant-descent approach. The approach is deliberately designed to bend around Jerrabomberra housing to cut noise, but the suburb is still the single largest source of noise complaints to Canberra Airport.

What is the Curfew4Canberra campaign?

Curfew4Canberra is a resident-led campaign, driven largely by inner-north Canberra residents, calling for a night curfew at Canberra Airport. It has grown as overnight freight and night jet movements have increased at the curfew-free airport. No curfew currently exists; the campaign is the live community flashpoint over the airport's 24-hour operations.

Which Canberra suburbs are quietest for aircraft noise?

Inner-south suburbs like Kingston, Griffith, Dickson and Lyneham sit inside the noise-abatement area and mostly off the main corridor, with high overflight altitudes. Fyshwick is close to the field but lateral to the Runway 35 line. The most affected areas are on the southern arrival corridor — Jerrabomberra, Queanbeyan, Oaks Estate, Pialligo — plus the northern Majura-valley departure track over Mitchell. Use the map above to check any specific address.

How do I make an aircraft noise complaint in Canberra?

Submit complaints to Airservices Australia's Noise Complaints and Information Service (NCIS) at complaints.bksv.com/asa or by phone on 1800 802 584. Canberra Airport itself does not handle complaints about aircraft in flight; air traffic control and flight paths are a federal Airservices Australia responsibility.

What happens to flight paths when Runway 17 is in use instead of Runway 35?

Most of the time Runway 35 is in use, so jets arrive from the south and depart to the north. In the minority of conditions when the reciprocal Runway 17 is in use, the operation flips: aircraft arrive from the north over the Majura valley and depart to the south over the Jerrabomberra and Queanbeyan side. The shorter cross runway 12/30 handles lighter traffic and specific crosswinds.

Canberra Flight Path Noise Map – Canberra Airport (CBR)

Name: Aircraft noise observations near Canberra Airport
Creator: Flight Path Noise
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Aircraft noise around Canberra in October 2026

Loudest neighborhoods near Canberra: Jerrabomberra (NSW), Queanbeyan / Queanbeyan West (NSW), Oaks Estate (ACT), Pialligo (ACT). Quietest: Dickson / Lyneham (ACT), Fyshwick (ACT), Kingston / Griffith (ACT), Royalla (NSW), Bungendore (NSW). Busiest around 10 AM local time averaging 142 flights/day. Source: Flight Path Noise monitoring data, 30 days to 2026-10-09.

Flights by hour · last 30 days

12a6a12p6p

Average daily traffic

142

flights / day · 4,261 total

Busiest hour

10 AM

peak 90 dB

Loudest hour

2 PM

peak 93 dB

Loudest residential area

Oaks Estate (ACT)

59 dB avg · ~99 flights/day · Normal conversation

On the ACT/NSW border directly under the Runway 35 final approach line from the south.

Does Canberra Airport have a curfew?

No — Canberra has no formal curfew.

Canberra Airport is explicitly curfew-free, operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with no mandatory or voluntary night or weekend movement restrictions. It is the only Australian capital-city airport with no curfew at all. Noise is controlled by the 1996 noise-abatement areas rather than curfew hours. Overnight freight and night jet operations are growing, which has driven the resident-led Curfew4Canberra campaign calling for a night curfew, but none currently exists.

Canberra Airport (CBR/YSCB) is unusual among Australian capital-city airports for being completely curfew-free, operating 24/7 with no mandatory night limits — a fact that sits at the centre of its modern noise story as overnight freight and night jet movements grow. Sitting on a high plateau about 7–8 km east/north-east of the city centre at roughly 575 m (1,886 ft) elevation, it relies not on a curfew but on noise-abatement areas in place since 1996, which keep jets above 5,000 ft and other aircraft above 3,000 ft over almost all built-up parts of Canberra and Queanbeyan. The single defining fact: Runway 35 is used more than 70% of the time, so most jets arrive from the south on a curving approach over Jerrabomberra and Queanbeyan in NSW — the suburbs that generate the bulk of noise complaints.

Which neighborhoods are quietest — and which aren’t

Canberra runs two intersecting runways: the main north-south 17/35 (3,283 m / 10,771 ft) which carries the majority of traffic, and the shorter cross strip 12/30 (1,679 m / 5,509 m) used by lighter aircraft and in particular crosswinds. Because Runway 35 dominates, noise is concentrated along a southern arrival corridor and a northern departure corridor — not spread evenly over the city.

Area	Aircraft noise	Why
Jerrabomberra (NSW)	✈︎✈︎✈︎	Directly under the curving Runway 35 arrival path; biggest single source of complaints
Queanbeyan (NSW)	✈︎✈︎✈︎	Under the southern approach corridor to Runway 35
Oaks Estate (ACT)	✈︎✈︎✈︎	On the ACT/NSW border under the Runway 35 final approach line
Pialligo (ACT)	✈︎✈︎✈︎	Abuts the airport on the approach/departure side; very close to the field
Harman / HMAS Harman	✈︎✈︎	Defence housing near the southern approach path
Mitchell (ACT)	✈︎✈︎	Under the northbound departure climb-out through the Majura valley
Watson (ACT)	✈︎✈︎	Inner-north near departure tracks; jets held above 5,000 ft
Gungahlin (ACT)	✈︎✈︎	Under northern departures but inside the abatement area
Fyshwick (ACT)	✈︎	Close to the field but lateral to the main line
Dickson / Lyneham	✈︎	Inner-north, largely off-corridor at altitude
Kingston / Griffith	✈︎	Inner-south, off-corridor with high overflight
Royalla (NSW)	✈︎	Far south on the extended approach line
Bungendore (NSW)	✈︎	Off the main corridor; high-altitude manoeuvring only

If aircraft noise is a primary concern, the pattern in Canberra is clear: the southern arrival corridor on the NSW side (Jerrabomberra, Queanbeyan, Oaks Estate) and the airport-adjacent Pialligo are the most consistently affected, because Runway 35 carries the bulk of arrivals. The northern departure corridor through the Majura valley (Mitchell, and parts of Gungahlin and Watson) catches climb-out noise, though the abatement rules keep jets above 5,000 ft over the built-up north. The inner-south suburbs — Kingston, Griffith, Dickson, Lyneham — sit inside the abatement area and mostly off the corridor, making them among the quieter residential choices. If you’re weighing a specific street, drop a pin on the map above.

Flight patterns and runway use

Prevailing winds favour Runway 35, which carries more than 70% of operations. With Runway 35 in use, jets arrive from the south — tracking over the NSW side (Jerrabomberra, Queanbeyan, HMAS Harman) on a curving RNP-AR “Smart Tracking” constant-descent approach designed by Qantas to bend around Jerrabomberra housing and cut both noise and fuel — and depart to the north over the Majura valley, Mitchell and toward Gungahlin.

When the reciprocal Runway 17 is in use — the minority of the time — the operation flips: aircraft arrive from the north and depart to the south over the Jerrabomberra and Queanbeyan side. The cross runway 12/30 handles lighter and general-aviation traffic and specific crosswinds; it is not the primary jet runway, and both its ends carry displaced thresholds.

The dominant operating constraint is the 1996 noise-abatement areas. Jet aircraft must stay above 5,000 ft AGL, and other aircraft above 3,000 ft AGL, over the abatement zone that blankets Gungahlin, North Canberra, Belconnen, South Canberra, Woden, Tuggeranong and Queanbeyan, so aircraft are routed to keep climbs and descents within corridors between built-up areas. Airservices notes the abatement areas were designed to keep direct overflight off about 99.5% of Canberra and Queanbeyan houses. With no curfew, these procedures — not curfew hours — are the main noise control, and Runway 35 arrivals are consistently the largest single source of complaints. The route-density layer on the map above shows the result: a bright southern arrival corridor over the NSW side and a northern departure band through the Majura valley, with the rest of the city comparatively clear.

When is it quietest?

Because Canberra has no curfew, there is no guaranteed overnight quiet window the way Sydney’s 11 PM – 6 AM curfew provides. The daily profile instead follows the schedule of a domestic-focused airport with growing overnight freight:

Overnight (roughly 11 PM – 6 AM): lighter than the day, but not silent. Overnight freight and the occasional night jet movement are exactly what the Curfew4Canberra campaign objects to, and they are most noticeable on the Runway 35 arrival corridor (Jerrabomberra, Queanbeyan, Oaks Estate).
Early morning (6 AM – 8 AM): the first departure bank to Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane builds quickly.
Morning and midday: steady domestic traffic, with departures climbing north over the Majura valley on Runway 35.
Evening (5 PM – 8 PM): arrival bank as flights return, putting the southern approach corridor under sustained traffic.

A wind shift that brings Runway 17 into use will reverse the whole pattern, suddenly moving arrival noise from the southern NSW suburbs to the northern Majura side and vice versa. For your own address, the hourly breakdown on the map above is the most reliable guide.

How to check noise at your specific address

The map above answers the question “is this spot loud?” Three steps:

Search your address or postcode in the bar at the bottom of the map.
Drop a pin — click the location marker that appears.
Read the noise report in the sidebar: average daily noise (Leq), peak observed dB, flights per day passing within 2 km, and an hourly breakdown.

The Noise Heatmap layer (orange/red = louder) and the Route Density layer (purple/magenta = busier corridors) make Canberra’s pattern obvious: a southern arrival corridor on the NSW side and a northern departure band through the Majura valley. Most addresses well off those two corridors — particularly inner-south suburbs inside the abatement area — will land in the green/quiet zone, while Jerrabomberra, Queanbeyan, Oaks Estate and Pialligo will read hottest.

If what you find concerns you, aircraft-in-flight noise complaints go to Airservices Australia’s Noise Complaints and Information Service (NCIS) at complaints.bksv.com/asa or 1800 802 584 — not to the airport, since flight paths are a federal responsibility. Logged complaints are also what underpins the community case behind the Curfew4Canberra campaign.

Frequently asked questions

Is Canberra Airport loud?: It depends almost entirely on where you live. Canberra Airport is curfew-free and runs 24/7, but since 1996 it relies on noise-abatement areas that keep jets above 5,000 ft and other aircraft above 3,000 ft over almost all built-up parts of Canberra and Queanbeyan — Airservices says this protects roughly 99.5% of houses from direct overflight. The real noise is concentrated in narrow approach and departure corridors. Suburbs on the southern Runway 35 arrival line — Jerrabomberra, Queanbeyan, Oaks Estate and Pialligo — hear the most. Drop a pin on the map above to see your address.
Why is there so much aircraft noise in Jerrabomberra?: Jerrabomberra sits directly under the Runway 35 arrival path. Because prevailing winds favour Runway 35 more than 70% of the time, most jets arrive from the south, descending over Jerrabomberra and Queanbeyan on a curving RNP-AR constant-descent approach. The approach is deliberately designed to bend around Jerrabomberra housing to cut noise, but the suburb is still the single largest source of noise complaints to Canberra Airport.
What is the Curfew4Canberra campaign?: Curfew4Canberra is a resident-led campaign, driven largely by inner-north Canberra residents, calling for a night curfew at Canberra Airport. It has grown as overnight freight and night jet movements have increased at the curfew-free airport. No curfew currently exists; the campaign is the live community flashpoint over the airport's 24-hour operations.
What are the noise-abatement areas at Canberra Airport?: Introduced in 1996, the noise-abatement areas require jet aircraft to stay above 5,000 ft AGL and other aircraft above 3,000 ft AGL over an abatement zone covering Gungahlin, North Canberra, Belconnen, South Canberra, Woden, Tuggeranong and Queanbeyan. Aircraft are routed to keep climbs and descents within corridors between built-up areas. Because the airport has no curfew, these procedures — not curfew hours — are the main noise control.
Which Canberra suburbs are quietest for aircraft noise?: Inner-south suburbs like Kingston, Griffith, Dickson and Lyneham sit inside the noise-abatement area and mostly off the main corridor, with high overflight altitudes. Fyshwick is close to the field but lateral to the Runway 35 line. The most affected areas are on the southern arrival corridor — Jerrabomberra, Queanbeyan, Oaks Estate, Pialligo — plus the northern Majura-valley departure track over Mitchell. Use the map above to check any specific address.
How do I make an aircraft noise complaint in Canberra?: Submit complaints to Airservices Australia's Noise Complaints and Information Service (NCIS) at complaints.bksv.com/asa or by phone on 1800 802 584. Canberra Airport itself does not handle complaints about aircraft in flight; air traffic control and flight paths are a federal Airservices Australia responsibility.
What happens to flight paths when Runway 17 is in use instead of Runway 35?: Most of the time Runway 35 is in use, so jets arrive from the south and depart to the north. In the minority of conditions when the reciprocal Runway 17 is in use, the operation flips: aircraft arrive from the north over the Majura valley and depart to the south over the Jerrabomberra and Queanbeyan side. The shorter cross runway 12/30 handles lighter traffic and specific crosswinds.

Sources and further reading

Canberra Airport — Aircraft Noise — Canberra Airport (Capital Airport Group)
Canberra Airport Runways — Aircraft in your Neighbourhood — Airservices Australia
Canberra Airport — Wikipedia
Canberra Airport runways — OurAirports
Curfew4Canberra — Noise readings ring death knell on 24-hour airport hub — North Canberra Community Council
Aircraft noise — making a complaint — Airservices Australia

Data updated 2026-10-09 — live ADS-B monitoring, rolling 30-day statistics (methodology). Article text revised 2026-06-12.

30 dB	Whisper
45 dB	Quiet residential
55 dB	Normal conversation
65 dB	Busy road
75 dB	Vacuum cleaner
85 dB	Heavy traffic
95 dB	Motorcycle nearby

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Canberra Flight Path Noise Map – Canberra Airport (CBR)

Aircraft noise around Canberra in October 2026

Does Canberra Airport have a curfew?

Which neighborhoods are quietest — and which aren’t

Flight patterns and runway use

When is it quietest?

How to check noise at your specific address

Frequently asked questions

Sources and further reading

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