Residents of Rydalmere, located in Sydney’s west, have endured a month of sleepless nights due to a persistent humming noise that disrupts their peace at all times of the day. This issue has affected not only those within Rydalmere but also residents in nearby Ermington, stretching the noise’s impact to a radius of three kilometres.
One local shared their frustrations, stating, “I’m not getting any sleep, I’m waking up at two and three in the morning.” Another likened the sound to “a drone sitting above your house,” illustrating the annoyance this intrusion has caused to daily life.
In response to numerous complaints, the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has initiated an investigation by reaching out to three industrial facilities—Heidelberg Materials, Knauf, and James Hardie—to examine their operations and equipment. Initially, possible causes like Metro West tunnelling and late-night drone activities were considered, but both were dismissed by the City of Parramatta Council and the EPA.
Despite the EPA’s deadline for identifying the source of the noise, none of the companies involved have yet reported any findings of concern. The situation remains unresolved. Recognising the distress this has caused, the EPA plans to deploy noise monitoring equipment to assess the sound levels and may even call for independent inspections of the suspected sites. They emphasise their commitment to identify the issue, although they caution that this process might span several weeks.
Should it be determined that the noise originates from preventable sources, the EPA holds the authority to enforce strict penalties on the responsible parties. As a resident succinctly put it, “I’d just like to see it stop. It’s not just a small selection of people; it’s a great number of people that have been affected by it.” The community anxiously awaits a resolution to the disruptive noise that has significantly impacted their quality of life.