Mod 4 - Noise Conditions

I think it should be left as is we defiantlry do need any more noise.
I think guns are dangeotus anyway.

Therefore I object to it.

As a museum consultant undertaking creative work in my home/office at the above address, I regard any increase in the noise levels as an invasion of my wish to enjoy a peaceful environment. I believe that the present noise is bad enough, so please protect this rural property from such a disturbance generated by rifle shooting. The range is much too close to the village of Hill Top and surrounding small farms.

Some years ago I bought this 5 acre block in order to enjoy the peace and tranquility of the Southern Highlands.
I work in Sydney at Cumberland Hospital, where I work with the mentally unwell.
It is with great delight to arrive home to hear all the bush sounds and inhale the fresh air after a frantic day. T's a great way to relax I can tell you!!
The prospect of all the gun clubs plus the military aiming and firing not so far away fills me with dread. Yes the noise will affect people living near the range like I do and I resent being subjected to it. We have pleaded with the planners to move the range to somewhere less populated but the people of Hill Top have been completely ignored.

As a family living in the area, we strongly object to (A) any increase to the noise levels allowed.(B) No increase to noise compliance testing report time, keep to 7days. (C) The acoustic shelter is an essential requirement and must not be deleted. There must be some consideration given to the quality of everyday life of the people who have to live next to this shooting range.We do not want to have to put up with continous bang bang hour after hour, day in day out. Organisnations can change how the operate at any time, especially competitions.
No more changes ..... Thank You.

30th June 2011

TO: The Director, Strategic Assessments

FROM: Mr Frank Hili
4 Rocky Waterholes Road
Hilltop NSW 2575
Phone Mobile: 0419259326
RE: Southern Highlands Regional Shooting Complex Request To Modify Project Approval – MP 06-0232 Mod 4 I am Objected to the above request for the following reasons:

• Presently the noise that is omitted whilst firing is being carried out at the Rifle Range is quite audible and annoying and can be clearly heard from my property.
• An increase in the maximum noise level from 75 dB(L) peak hold to 85 dB(Lin) peak hold will result in the noise levels being experienced at this point in time, being twice as loud at my residence. THIS IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE.
• The persons who are causing the noise do not live in the affected area. They travel to the range and cause a disruption to our lives and then go home. I understand that this might be their recreational activity but it has a direct impact on my families recreational time, for the rest of our lives here. I work weekdays and shift work and need to sleep during the day. My children go to school, and the weekends are our leisure time. We will be unable to enjoy our leisure time, free of disruption.
• There will be a further impact to the value of my property if this proposal goes ahead. I have had the following real estate agents visit my property for an appraisal: Century 21 Real Estate, Camerons Real Estate and Starr Partners Real Estate and they are all of the same opinion, that if this proposal goes ahead my property will be further reduced in value.
• I would invite any member of the Department Of Planning that is involved in the decision on whether this proposal is to go ahead, to visit my property to understand the extent of this disruption that we are being asked to tolerate for the rest of our lives.
• IN CONCLUSION it is totally unacceptable to think that the Department Of Planning would allow a proposal to go ahead, that would have such negative impact and cause an intolerable situation year round to those of us that live in the area.
Yours truly,

FRANK HILI

will the shooters be restricted from taking alcohol with them on shooting trips.???
Will shooter be restricted to what they are allowed to shoot???

Shooters in our area often do not hit what they are aiming at and sometimes leave an animal injured.

Submission re Sound Limit Modifications
Southern Highlands Shooting Complex
The shooting complex currently incorporates a 800 metre ranges that has been used in its present form and with the present type of firearm since 1987.
The site is used by a number of shooting clubs and is governed by a Range Management Committee made up of delegates from the member clubs.
The 800 metre range has a set of targets at the SW end of the range with a series of mounds displaced from the targets (100m, 200m, 3000m, 400m, 500, 600m 700m &
800m) from which shooting occurs. Only one firing mound can be used at any one time.
To accommodate the various shooting disciplines the allocation of firing positions varies from week to week and can vary from day to day, e.g. during the noise testing the range calendar had shooting off the 100m position in the morning and larger distances in the afternoon.
All firing ranges open to the public and clubs are required to be licensed by the Police Firearms Registry with prescribed conditions pertaining to fallout (no go) zones, types of calibres to be used etc applying to each range/discipline.
.
At the present time the highest caliber of firearm used is .308 Winchester ( 7.62 Nato) and that has been the situation for since 1987.
The application to modify the noise limits arises from testing conducted using the appropriate instrumentation and persons experienced in such measurements that found a number of errors in the approval conditions.
The application seeks to permit an average level of 85 dB Lin Peak Hold for the existing 800 metre range and an average level of 75 dB Lin Peal Hold for the future ranges. The application nominates the average to be a logarithmic average consistent with the practice of the NSW State Shooters Liasion Committee convened by the State Pollution Control Commission in the early 1980’s for the development of the SPCC target shooting guidelines.
It appears that whilst the SPCC guidelines indicate the noise level for an operational range, dependent upon the number of days or nights per week, the guideline does not indicate the averaging of the noise levels.
Members of the shooting complex governing committee are aware of the SPCC use of logarithmic averaging from other range applications/compliance testing for various disciplines including SSAA Silverdale, Seaham, Hornsby, Wagga, Batemans Bay and ANZAC ranges, Nowra Shooting Club, Cecil Park Range (Blacktown Shotgun Club) and Terry Hills Gun Club .
We have recently been advised that the EPA (formerly SPCC) when removing shooting ranges from being Scheduled Premises (under their control) issued a letter of advice in
1993 to some councils of using an arithmetic average.
We are aware that the Queensland Regulation (act of Parliament) governing shooting ranges uses an arithmetic average of the Linear Peak Hold Level whilst the Victorian EPA guideline uses a logarithmic average of the dB(A) Impulse level.
In light of the EPA advice of 1993 the proposed modification should be arithmetic average, even though we understand it would give a lower level than the logarithmic average previously used on ranges.
Existing Range
We note that the 800 metre range is an existing range and has been in existence for more since 1987.
We acknowledge that the proposed ranges for the complex can only be described as future ranges and therefore under the SPCC guideline requires a lower noise limit than an existing range.
To suggest that adding other ranges to the complex somehow changes the use of the existing range that would increase the noise from the existing range or is an intensification of the existing range use is incorrect.
The provision of new ranges will reduce the use of the 800 metre range but not the maximum noise levels.
It is noted that there were no complaints about the sound levels until the DA for the new ranges was submitted.
Communication with our members and the community has found that many locals said they did not know it existed before the application.
Testing has revealed the level of noise from the existing range exceeds the incorrect limit contained on the approval, hence the current application.
Contrary to claims by certain members of the public the change in the noise limit does not mean an increase in noise from the existing range. There are no changes to the firing position or calibres presently used.
We understand that under the EPA guidelines we could have a higher noise limit that what is being sought.
Cumulative Sound
Claims by persons opposing the range that if there were more firearms being used the sound would be louder is incorrect.
The dB Linear Peak Hold level is not a measure of loudness like the dB(A) level used for general noise. The Linear Peak Hold level measures the absolute pressure wave pulse and has no relationship to a dB(A) Fast response level used for the measurement of pool pumps, air conditioning or motor vehicles.
Claims by persons opposing the range that an increase from 75dB to 85 dB as to a doubling of the sound are incorrect as are also the comparisons of a 85 dB Linear Peak Hold Level to noise from passing motor vehicles.
The testing results show that on a Linear Peak Hold basis the ambient noise from birds, rustling of leaves and wind can produce Linear Peal Hold levels above 75 dB.
Sound Generated in 100-400m Firing Points The greatest usage of the range occurs within the 100-400m firing points and complies with the 75dB level. It is the shooting between 400m and 700 metres that can give rise to an average level greater than 75 dB Linear Peak Hold.
A typical months use of the present range is:
 All Saturday AM – All less than 400m  Saturday PM – Progressively back to 800m in 100m increments.
 All Sundays – All less than 400m (Except one day every five months at 500m) Summary.
86% of Shooting takes place at less than 400m Acoustic Shelter 800m Firing Mound Due to the infrequent use of the 800m Firing point, one Saturday afternoon in two months, it is felt that building an acoustic shelter at that point is unnecessary

Submission re Sound Limit Modifications
Southern Highlands Shooting Complex
The shooting complex currently incorporates a 800 metre ranges that has been used in its present form and with the present type of firearm since 1987.
The site is used by a number of shooting clubs and is governed by a Range Management Committee made up of delegates from the member clubs.
The 800 metre range has a set of targets at the SW end of the range with a series of mounds displaced from the targets (100m, 200m, 3000m, 400m, 500, 600m 700m &
800m) from which shooting occurs. Only one firing mound can be used at any one time.
To accommodate the various shooting disciplines the allocation of firing positions varies from week to week and can vary from day to day, e.g. during the noise testing the range calendar had shooting off the 100m position in the morning and larger distances in the afternoon.
All firing ranges open to the public and clubs are required to be licensed by the Police Firearms Registry with prescribed conditions pertaining to fallout (no go) zones, types of calibres to be used etc applying to each range/discipline.
.
At the present time the highest caliber of firearm used is .308 Winchester ( 7.62 Nato) and that has been the situation for since 1987.
The application to modify the noise limits arises from testing conducted using the appropriate instrumentation and persons experienced in such measurements that found a number of errors in the approval conditions.
The application seeks to permit an average level of 85 dB Lin Peak Hold for the existing 800 metre range and an average level of 75 dB Lin Peal Hold for the future ranges. The application nominates the average to be a logarithmic average consistent with the practice of the NSW State Shooters Liasion Committee convened by the State Pollution Control Commission in the early 1980’s for the development of the SPCC target shooting guidelines.
It appears that whilst the SPCC guidelines indicate the noise level for an operational range, dependent upon the number of days or nights per week, the guideline does not indicate the averaging of the noise levels.
Members of the shooting complex governing committee are aware of the SPCC use of logarithmic averaging from other range applications/compliance testing for various disciplines including SSAA Silverdale, Seaham, Hornsby, Wagga, Batemans Bay and ANZAC ranges, Nowra Shooting Club, Cecil Park Range (Blacktown Shotgun Club) and Terry Hills Gun Club .
We have recently been advised that the EPA (formerly SPCC) when removing shooting ranges from being Scheduled Premises (under their control) issued a letter of advice in
1993 to some councils of using an arithmetic average.
We are aware that the Queensland Regulation (act of Parliament) governing shooting ranges uses an arithmetic average of the Linear Peak Hold Level whilst the Victorian EPA guideline uses a logarithmic average of the dB(A) Impulse level.
In light of the EPA advice of 1993 the proposed modification should be arithmetic average, even though we understand it would give a lower level than the logarithmic average previously used on ranges.
Existing Range
We note that the 800 metre range is an existing range and has been in existence for more since 1987.
We acknowledge that the proposed ranges for the complex can only be described as future ranges and therefore under the SPCC guideline requires a lower noise limit than an existing range.
To suggest that adding other ranges to the complex somehow changes the use of the existing range that would increase the noise from the existing range or is an intensification of the existing range use is incorrect.
The provision of new ranges will reduce the use of the 800 metre range but not the maximum noise levels.
It is noted that there were no complaints about the sound levels until the DA for the new ranges was submitted.
Communication with our members and the community has found that many locals said they did not know it existed before the application.
Testing has revealed the level of noise from the existing range exceeds the incorrect limit contained on the approval, hence the current application.
Contrary to claims by certain members of the public the change in the noise limit does not mean an increase in noise from the existing range. There are no changes to the firing position or calibres presently used.
We understand that under the EPA guidelines we could have a higher noise limit that what is being sought.
Cumulative Sound
Claims by persons opposing the range that if there were more firearms being used the sound would be louder is incorrect.
The dB Linear Peak Hold level is not a measure of loudness like the dB(A) level used for general noise. The Linear Peak Hold level measures the absolute pressure wave pulse and has no relationship to a dB(A) Fast response level used for the measurement of pool pumps, air conditioning or motor vehicles.
Claims by persons opposing the range that an increase from 75dB to 85 dB as to a doubling of the sound are incorrect as are also the comparisons of a 85 dB Linear Peak Hold Level to noise from passing motor vehicles.
The testing results show that on a Linear Peak Hold basis the ambient noise from birds, rustling of leaves and wind can produce Linear Peal Hold levels above 75 dB.
Sound Generated in 100-400m Firing Points The greatest usage of the range occurs within the 100-400m firing points and complies with the 75dB level. It is the shooting between 400m and 700 metres that can give rise to an average level greater than 75 dB Linear Peak Hold.
A typical months use of the present range is:
 All Saturday AM – All less than 400m  Saturday PM – Progressively back to 800m in 100m increments.
 All Sundays – All less than 400m (Except one day every five months at 500m) Summary.
86% of Shooting takes place at less than 400m Acoustic Shelter 800m Firing Mound Due to the infrequent use of the 800m Firing point, one Saturday afternoon in two months, it is felt that building an acoustic shelter at that point is unnecessary

I object to the modifications to the “Southern Highlands Regional Shooting Complex”. It spoils what was a lovely, quiet, rural village. I grew up in Hill Top, and during the past 20 years the noise generated by complex has always been intrusive, with the planned changes and the recent increases in usage of the complex, the intrusiveness of the noise has increased, and become intolerable.

I believe every resident and visitor has the right to a peaceful environment in which to live and enjoy, I spend a lot of time hiking in the National park land surrounding Hill Top with my family, and should not have to put up with even more ear piercing pistol and rifle 'cracks' though out the day.

I feel for the residents that face decreasing property values that approval will bring, along with the young families with kids attending the primary school, where those very same gunfire shots can be heard.

I can say that I'm certainly glad I am not a kid growing up in this area today!

For your consideration,
Jacob Watkins

I WISH TO OPPOSE THE MODIFICATIONS AT THE SHOOTING RANGE
I HAVE LIVED IN HILLTOP FOR THE LAST 11 YEARS AND ARE PROBABILY ONE OF THE CLOSEST RESIDENTS TO THE RANGE .I CAN SAY THAT THE NOISE GENERATED BY THE RANGE FOR THE FIRST 9 YEARS WAS BEARABLE BUT YOU NEVER GET USED TO IT .HOWEVER THE LAST 2 YEARS SINCE YOU THE DEPARTMENT OF SPORT HAS ALLOWED OTHER GUN CLUBS TO USE IT THE NOISE HAS BECOME UNCOMFORATBLE ,FRIGHTNING AND AT TIMES UNBEARABLE RESULTING IN MYSELF AND FAMILY STAYING INSIDE FOR THE WHOLE WEEKEND .WEEKENDS ARE SURPOSSED TO BY REST AND RECREATION TIME FOR US BUT NOT HERE ANYMORE .NOISE CAN BE A COMPLEX THING , CAR/MOWER/ BIRDS /MOTORBIKES /CHAINSAWS ARE NOISES THAT YOU HEAR EVERY DAY AND YOU DO GET USED TO THEM BUT GUN NOISE IS NOT IT IS NOT THE NORM YOU NEVER EVER GET USED TO GUN NOISE IT HAS A STIGMA THAT TRIGGERS THE BRAIN TO ALWAYS BE ON WATCH/EDGE AND THAT IS NOT A GOOD THING .SO PLEASE DO THE RIGHT THING BY OUR COMMUNITY AND DO NOT ALLOW THE EXTRA NOISE LEVELS AND INSTALL SOUND BARRIERS ON ALL RANGES THANK YOU
DAVID AND JEAN WAREHAM
4 STARLIGHT PLACE
HILLTOP

I would like to make known that I am fervently against this development and the proposed modifications.

These changes, along with the development, with dramatically decrease my residential amenity and cause noise disturbances for myself and my young son.

My property is approximately 2 kms away from the site so an increase in the noise level will be drastic to my enjoyment of my premises as I am so near.

The zoning for my property has covenants that restrict the number of dogs (only 2) and trail bikes and other off road vehicles so that mine and neighbouring properties can be assured of low levels of noise. Noise is targeted in these covenants to ensure a tranquil environment and a way to protect the quiet rural aspect of the 5 acres properties in this area. The main reason I bought this property in the first place.

When this development was started the current rifle range, which was rarely used, experienced a dramatic increase in it’s use, and contrary to it’s development consent the army was using the site as well as being used during the week and even at night. All of a sudden there would be very loud gun fire for several days, automatic weapons firing and even explosions. These were all reported to the police and the local council by myself via telephone or email.

The increase in noise caused me great distress to the point that I was diagnosed with severe depression and anxiety after experiencing dizzy spells and mental blackouts. I had to resign from my job in July 2007 due to frequent absences, was treated by a psychologist for my condition, and was prescribed anti-depressants.

After development consent conditions were enforced and the noise abated I was able to cease counselling sessions and medication.

I now have a young son, nearly 3 years old, and I fear for his mental health. He is very noise sensitive and loud gunfire will no doubt cause him severe anxiety. I fear that both myself and my son will experience severe depression and anxiety if the development is allowed to increase its maximum noise limits and does not build an acoustic shelter around the 800m range. Noise compliance testing needs to stay strict at a 7 day period to ensure the protection of residents.

I can provide references of the psychologist, doctor’s office, real estate agent that sold me the property, and my previous workplace to back up the facts I have listed above.

The NSW Minister for Planning
Department of Planning.
GPO Box 39
Sydney NSW 2001
Dear Minister,
I write on behalf of [Name Withheld] and in support of the
submission by Communities NSW (Sport and Recreation) in respect to:-
* Condition of Approval A9

Attached submission in support of the application to modify
the noise level conditions, on the basis that no firearms,
or events have effectively changed over 20 complaint-free
years of shooting on the 800m range. Recent complaints should be viewed as being solely generated by opposition to the proposed expansion.

Submission is attached at file attachment 1.

This Greens submission mainly concerns the impact of noise levels on the surrounding residents as well as the methods use to measure the noise impacts.

Thank you for considering this submission.
Yours sincerely,

David Shoebridge, Greens MLC

Please see attached detailed submission made on behalf of the Hill Top Residents Action Group Inc (HTRAGI)

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