Hi, I’m Sam Price Director and Lead Brisbane Buyer’s Agent from Templeton Property and today I’d like to answer the question: How to investigate Brisbane flight paths? Having a Buyer’s Agent on your side when you’re buying a property is a game changer. In this blog we’ll cover everything you need to know about Brisbane flight paths and aircraft noise.
When looking at buying a new home or investment property in Brisbane, it is important to undertake comprehensive due diligence on the property and one important consideration that is often overlooked is flight paths and aircraft noise.
What is a flight path?
A flight path is used to refer to a three-dimensional corridor overlayed on a map that indicates where aircraft commonly fly. These corridors can often be quite wide and can vary depending on the season, time of the day, prevailing winds and operational requirements etc.
How to investigate Brisbane flight paths and find out if a property or suburb is affected by aircraft noise?
Airservices Australia have a great online tool that allows anyone to enter their address or suburb and view the current flight paths and flight frequency, heights and noise monitoring reports. This tool provided by Airservices Australia, provides useful information on the frequency of flights to expect in any Brisbane suburb.
As at August 2023 Airservices Australia have released phase 2 of their engagement process which provides a set of new flight paths being considered for Brisbane as developed as part of the Noise Action Plan for Brisbane. Further details in relation to this consolation process and mapping can be found at their Flight Path Change Hub.
Another helpful site is the Brisbane Airport Flight Path Tool. The Brisbane Airport Flight Path Tool provides the flight paths for all arrivals and departures of jet aeroplanes from Brisbane Airport. This online tool also provides a noise contour map which can be very helpful.
The Real time flight Radar site helps you track flights in real time throughout the world.
Brisbane’s new runway (not so new)
Brisbane’s new runway opened in July 2020 and although during the COVID lockdowns aircraft traffic was reduced significantly, as the world opens to international travel, flights numbers are predicted to reach their pre-pandemic level of 200,000 a year by 2025.
Aircraft noise measurement
As we know, sound is measured in decibels (dB) and the average range of sound levels in any particular day usually ranges between 40 dB to 85 dB. Aircraft noise levels are often between 65 dB and 95 dB and should you be standing next to a runway when an aircraft is taking off, the noise level can be as loud as 130dB.
Which Suburbs in Brisbane are most affected by aircraft noise?
The suburbs where the most aircraft noise complaints have been recorded between July 2020 and July 2022 are (in order of the highest number of complaints):
- Balmoral
- New Farm
- Hawthorne
- Bulimba
- Hamilton
- Ascot
- Hendra
- Teneriffe
- Northgate
- Wakerley
- Forestdale
- East Brisbane
- Norman Park
- Annerley
- Samford Valley
- Morningside
- Chapel Hill
- Tingalpa
- Belmont
- Taringa
Source: Airservices Post Implementation Review Draft Report.
Given that Brisbane’s airport is located in close proximity to the CBD, it’s easy to understand why it is many of Brisbane’s most expensive suburbs that are the most significantly affected by aircraft noise.
“On one day, almost overnight, it was like flicking a switch – we had 30 to 40 flights go over the top of our house without any idea that was going to happen. We get 10 flights every 15 minutes during peak hour and that goes on for three hours.”
Stricklen – Annerley resident, sourced from ABC news article 2022.
It should also be noted that quite a few suburbs have had a reduced impact since the second runway has become operational. E.g., Ashgrove, The Gap and many more. Though this may be set to change (again) after the implementation of the new Noise Action Plan for Brisbane. When looking to purchase a property for a client, one of our due-diligence items is to check if the property is within a current or potential flight path. Hence, we hope this blog – How to investigate Brisbane flight paths? helps you do the same.
Brisbane schools affected by aircraft noise
Now that the new flight path has been operating for over 2 years, records indicate a large number for both primary and secondary schools are affected adversely by the increased flight traffic overhead. The schools most affected are those located close to the airport and accordingly the flight paths. On the northside these are Hamilton, Hendra, Ascot and New Farm. On the southside these include Bulimba, Balmoral, Hawthorne. Given the re-design of the flight paths, schools located to the west of Brisbane have also been affected and these include Upper Brookfield, Pullenvale and Samford Valley.
Do Brisbane flight paths affect property prices and values?
As a Brisbane Buyers Agent we are regularly reviewing properties for clients in the suburbs mentioned above as being significantly affected by aircraft noise. It is our observation that whilst many buyers are interested to know if a particular property is in a Brisbane flight path corridor (this is one of our standard searches we undertake during the due-diligence phase), very few clients choose to dismiss properties and suburbs affected by aircraft noise. Our clients list of priorities often preference the properties proximity to the CBD, school catchments and suburb character as their main requirements, with aircraft corridor avoidance being towards the bottom of their list.
We have also had several clients over the years that have stipulated a preference to purchase in close proximity to the Airport e.g., pilots, FIFO workers etc.
Although some time ago now, in 2013 the Brisbane Airport Corporation commissioned the Queensland University (QUT) to undertake a study to determine if aircraft noise had an effect on property values. The report concluded that aircraft noise had no distinguishable effect on property values.
QUT report – 1988-2013 Impact of aircraft noise on Brisbane residential property
Proposed changes to Brisbane flight paths
In 2022, consultancy firm Trax International, which recently reviewed flight operations at London’s Heathrow Airport, were commissioned to undertake a review of the Brisbane flight paths. The interim report that has recently been released considered thousands of aircraft noise complaints from suburbs located both close to the airport including Hendra, Ascot, Hamilton, Balmoral, Bulimba, Hawthorne, Teneriffe, Hawthorne and New Farm, as well as suburbs located further afield including Brookfield, Upper Brookfield, Pullenvale and Samford Valley. The comprehensive flight path review is being led by Airservices Australia and overseen by an independent community forum.
As at August 2023 Airservices Australia have released phase 2 of their engagement process which provides a set of new flight paths being considered for Brisbane as developed as part of the Noise Action Plan for Brisbane. Further details in relation to this consolation process and mapping can be found at their Flight Path Change Hub.
Summary
The second runway significantly increased Brisbane Airport’s capacity and as Brisbane’s population continues to grow, it’s only natural that the number of flights in and out of Brisbane will continue to increase over the next decade. In fact, flights are predicted to reach their pre-pandemic level of 200,000 a year by 2025, before escalating to approximately 520,000 a year by the year 2054.
Considering many of Brisbane’s most expensive suburbs are located directly beneath the flight paths, it’s important to be fully informed about the extent of aircraft noise before purchasing a property in these areas.
We hope this blog has answered the question – How to investigate Brisbane flight paths?
Are you considering purchasing a home or investment property in Brisbane? If you are considering purchasing a property in Brisbane to live or for investment and would like the assistance of a local Brisbane Buyer’s Agent, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Feel free to contact us via email admin@templetonproperty.com.au or call 07 3368 1988
We look forward to hearing from you.
Sam Price, Director & Lead Buyer’s Agent – Templeton Property Brisbane.
