Sydney harbourside horror: How transport construction noise is “torture” for waterfront resident
Frances and Bob Vagg claim living in their waterfront property in Lavender Bay is “torture”. Here’s why.
NSW
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A view over the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House is the kind of home most will only be able to ever dream of.
But Frances and Bob Vagg claim living in their waterfront property in Lavender Bay is proving “torture”.
Construction of the Sydney Metro and Western Harbour Tunnel, plus the Warringah Freeway upgrade, has meant that since 2018 “low frequency noise” has filtered through their house and made life unbearable for Mrs Vagg.
The ongoing “rumbling or droning” noise which leaves her feeling nauseous, with blurry vision and unable to stand, has at times been so bad the couple have been forced to leave home and spend the night in a hotel.
“I can assure you it is torture, absolute torture,” Mrs Vagg said.
“It is unbearable torture, beyond reasonable, and it continues. It can be any time, (but) it probably goes really solidly for two to four hours, then there is a short break.
“The vibrations and pulsating currents … as the night comes on it gets really bad. It brings on nausea, your vision gets blurred.”
Mr and Mrs Vagg moved to Lavender Bay in 1991, expecting it would one day be their retirement home.
That was until ground was broken on the Metro Tunnel in 2018, turning that dream into a nightmare for the couple, now in their 80s.
Mr and Mrs Vagg employed two world renowned experts on low frequency noise to examine the noise from machinery first used in the creation of the Metro Tunnel, and continued through construction of the Western Harbour Tunnel and Warringah Freeway upgrade.
“People see the way that I deteriorate,” Mrs Vagg said.
“I don’t want to move, people say move, but in my condition I couldn’t move at any rate, I’m just so ill by the end of each day.”
Efforts to contact the EPA and construction companies involved in the projects had resulted in them being told they live too far away from the work zones to be “eligible” for mitigation.
Mr Vagg said while he is not affected by the noise, he has seen the impact it has had on his wife.
“The authorities don’t seem to take any notice of little punters, just generally as to whether there is a valid case to do anything, or to try something, to overcome what Frances is going through,” he said.
In a statement, a Transport for NSW spokesperson said they adhered to “strict” conditions around the noise omitted during construction works.
“Tunnelling in the Blues Point area for Sydney Metro was completed in December 2019,” a spokesperson said.
“Transport for NSW acknowledges infrastructure projects may temporarily impact residents and is committed to working with the local community, and individual residents, to reduce disruption wherever possible.
“All work on the Warringah Freeway Upgrade and Western Harbour Tunnel projects are being done in accordance with approved and independently reviewed Construction Noise and Vibration Management Plan and Construction Noise and Vibration Impact Statements (CNVIS).”
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