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Joy flights have lift-off

21/9/2018

3 Comments

 
By Catherine Watson
 
A BASS Coast couple wanting to offer joy flights has been given the all clear by the Victorian Civil and Administrative tribunal.
On Monday, VCAT senior member Ian Potts over-ruled a decision by Bass Coast Council to decline a permit for Michael and Christine Malone to operate the business from a 65-hectare property on the Bass Highway, midway between Wonthaggi and Inverloch.
 
The couple appealed to VCAT after councillors narrowly voted to decline the permit in September 2017, following about 20 objections from neighbouring residents and others.
 
Three of the Malones’ neighbours appeared at the two-day VCAT hearing in April and stated that noise from the aircraft operations could affect farming activities and would be intrusive on the quiet rural amenity they enjoyed.
 
The Malones told VCAT that most of the joy flights, in a four-seat, Cessna 182 aircraft, would be along the southern coast to Wilsons Promontory or over Phillip Island. They called an acoustic consultant to give evidence on the noise levels at various locations during take-off and landing and flight overhead at cruising altitude. 
 
In allowing the permit, Mr Potts found that the Bass Coast planning policy framework encouraged the creation of innovative tourism experiences and nature-based tourism proposals.
 
He said the proposal provided diversification in tourist attractions, enabled flights from a convenient location on a major tourist road; and relied on the coast line and other natural features of the area.
 
“These are outcomes that are consistent with tourism planning policy without causing permanent loss of agricultural land.
 
“Accordingly, while this is not a form of tourism venture that is specifically identified in policy and seeks to make use of agricultural land which would otherwise be contrary to local planning policy, I find that the proposal does not offend such policy.”
 
The permit allows use of the property for joy flights in a single-engine, fixed-wing aircraft, construction of a hangar/office and waiting room and advertising signs. A maximum of 10 flights a day are permitted between the hours of 8am and 5pm.
 
Read Ian Potts’ full finding at Malone versus Bass Coast Shire Council.

3 Comments
David Manning
23/9/2018 04:49:54 pm

The peaceful community of Cape Woolamai has become dominated by helicopter noise, day after day, evening after evening. This denies residents adequate windows of time to connect with their natural surrounds in peace. For many residents, the precious window after work before sunset is increasingly dominated by the noise of more than one helicopter. The cumulative effect of this intrusion reduces the quality of life of the residents and results in a degradation of their health and well being.
The argument about noise levels is unjust. It is the type of noise that does the damage, not the volume. Aircraft are loud and industrial sounding. Further to this, helicopters take longer to move away from their landing area and linger like a bad smell.
I feel for all residents in the vicinity of such operations.
Surely is is time Bass Coast Shire impose similar restrictions to all aircraft operators in Bass Coast?

Reply
Alf
11/10/2018 12:03:23 pm

The only noise that does the damage, in Inverloch is them Jet ski's

Reply
Kerrie
12/12/2018 11:37:29 am

The noise over Venus Bay from this service is disgusting! Not only do we get the jet ski noise form Inverloch, now we have twin engine light planes flying low over residential Venus Bay. Very sad that the service is allowed to do this.

Reply



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