Politics · Australia · 2 days ago
Northbridge venue owners oppose proposed late-night noise limits
Western Australia has proposed new noise limits for entertainment venues in Northbridge, an entertainment area in Perth.
The limits would be 90 decibels in the precinct’s core and 79 decibels between 2am and 5am on weekends.
On weekdays, venues would also face a 79-decibel limit after midnight.
The proposal would let eligible venues opt in, while the current rules would continue to apply until the changes are finalised.
Under current rules, noise is measured at nearby homes, where the limit is 54 decibels at night.
The proposed system would measure noise one metre from a venue’s boundary instead.
Venue owners say the new limits are lower than expected and could make late-night entertainment unworkable; the City of Perth council has voted to submit its concerns to the state department.
The state says the changes aim to give venues more certainty while protecting residents, and venues could choose to stay under the current rules or apply for the defined limits.
The Western Australian government has proposed new noise limits for entertainment venues in Northbridge.
The proposal sets limits of 90 decibels in the precinct’s core and 79 decibels between 2am and 5am on weekends.
Venue owners oppose the limits, saying the proposed levels are too low and venues will not opt in.
The reforms would let eligible venues choose the new limits while current noise rules remain in force until the amendments are finalised.
The City of Perth council voted on September 30 to make a submission to the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation about the amendments.
- Who
- The Western Australian government proposed the changes. Northbridge venue owners, including Butterfly 73 owner and City of Perth councillor Chris Patten, oppose them.
- What
- Proposed noise rules would set limits for eligible entertainment venues that choose to opt in.
- When
- The article was published on October 9, 2026. The City of Perth council voted on September 30 to make a submission.
- Where
- The Northbridge Special Entertainment Precinct in Perth, Western Australia.
- Why
- The government says the reforms aim to give venues greater certainty, support new development and protect residents’ amenity. Venue owners say the proposed limits are too low to comply with.
Western Australian government
Northbridge venue owners
Purpose of the limits
Western Australian government
The reforms aim to give venues greater certainty, support new development and protect residents’ amenity.
Northbridge venue owners
Owners say the proposed limits are too low, and that venues will not voluntarily opt in.
How the rules would work
Western Australian government
Eligible venues could choose the proposed limits or continue under current regulations.
Northbridge venue owners
Patten worries the opt-in arrangement could later become mandatory.
No one can comply with it. I walked around with a sound meter just around Northridge and every venue was between 96 and 100. So why are we going to go with something that no one can comply with? It doesn’t make sense
the reforms aim to give entertainment venues “greater certainty while supporting new development and protecting the amenity of residents.
My concern is that while it might be opt-in for now, I do worry that this will become mandatory down the future, and that’s why it’s important that we need to get it right, whether it’s opt-in or not
The City of Perth said it was happy with a proposed limit of 95 decibels one metre from the boundary.
The City of Perth council voted to make a submission to the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation on the amendments.
SMH published its report on venue owners’ opposition to the proposed limits.
- Proposed limit in core
- 90 decibels
- Weekend early-morning limit
- 79 decibels between 2am and 5am
- Weekday limit
- 79 decibels after midnight
- Current residential-premises limit
- 54 decibels
- City of Perth’s 2022 position
- 95 decibels one metre from the venue boundary
Sources
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