Some Australian states have begun trialling new noise-detection cameras to target local hoon drivers.
The Victorian state government announced on 7 April 2026 that it plans to trial seven new roadside acoustic cameras that will be triggered by vehicles that exceed noise levels. Additionally, these cameras can also capture images of a car’s registration plates.
The state government said these noise detection cameras will be in locations “impacted by multiple noise complaints”, though it did not specify which suburbs or council areas would be involved in the two-year trial.
However, Port Phillip Council – which governs several inner-city Melbourne suburbs such as Albert Park, Southbank and St Kilda – is calling on state authorities to include its jurisdiction in the trial amid residential concerns.
If a vehicle is observed exceeding the decibel limit, the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) will issue testing notices on the cars “to ensure vehicles are operating within regulated noise limits”, and if it exceeds the legal limit, drivers must then take action to reduce the sound to a compliant level.
“Failure to act can result in a $122 fine for individuals and a $6105 fine for companies,” the Victorian government said.
According to the state government, in 2025 alone, the EPA received more than 9100 general noise complaints – up approximately 68 per cent in comparison to 2020–2021 – with 5000 testing notices and 1222 infringement notices issued last year.
The Victorian Minister for Environment, Steve Dimopoulos, said the trial serves to address the “noise pollution caused by hoon drivers”.
“This acoustic camera trial will help in detecting and reducing the number of noisy vehicles in our streets and suburbs, helping families feel safer,” he said in an April 2026 media statement.
New South Wales recently announced the findings of its own noise camera trials in Wollongong and Bayside councils. According to the state government, only “a small cohort of drivers is responsible for a high proportion of noisy events”.
“Of all events, 55 per cent are caused by the same group of vehicles that pass by the noise cameras at different times and days, and sometimes at more than one noise camera location,” the NSW government said in a March 2026 media statement.
Motorcyclists were over-represented in the report, with motorcycles responsible for approximately 55 per cent of noise events despite only accounting for 4 per cent of total vehicle registrations in the state.
While offenders weren’t issued fines during the trial period, the state government said that under current legislation, vehicles that exceed the legal noise limit can be fined up to $600 and may be subject to court appearances for repeat offences.
The recent findings revealed that noisy driving was more prevalent at night and on weekends, with offending drivers recorded most frequently during these periods.
While the trial has now concluded, an August 2025 article by Drive revealed that some locals reported the noise-detection cameras made the problem worse by attracting offenders.
Drive understands Queensland is not currently considering implementing noise detection cameras, but state authorities are monitoring interstate trials.
Ethan Cardinal graduated with a Journalism degree in 2020 from La Trobe University and has been working in the fashion industry as a freelance writer prior to joining Drive in 2023. Ethan greatly enjoys investigating and reporting on the cross sections between automotive, lifestyle and culture. Ethan relishes the opportunity to explore how deep cars are intertwined within different industries and how they could affect both casual readers and car enthusiasts.
