‘Helicopter Hell’: Concerns raised over noise disturbance in Broome if offshore gas facility goes ahead

Tourism operators and environmentalists have raised concerns over the impact of increased aircraft activity on residents in Broome if the construction of a major offshore gas facility goes ahead. While Australia’s largest oil and gas producer Woodside is seeking approval to develop an offshore gas field near Broome, environmental group Greenpeace obtained Freedom of Information documents revealing the impact of the last wave of offshore construction. In 2017-18 during the initial stages of development and operations of the Prelude floating liquefied natural gas facility, data exclusively obtained by Airservices Australia showed a tenfold increase in complaints from Broome residents. “It’s 6am on Saturday morning and I have been awake since about 5am this morning due to the continuous loud helicopter noise, which has also woken my small children,” one complaint said. “Why do the helicopters sound like they are just driving up and down for an hour, its very noisy and if it’s not at 7-9pm its 5.45am-6.45am. It’s very annoying and being a shift worker either end is hard to sleep. I can’t wear and shouldn’t have to wear earplugs.” “Sick to death of living in what feels and sounds (like) a war zone.” A Woodside spokesperson said the project’s key work activities will continue in support of progress towards front-end engineering design (FEED) entry on the proposed Browse to North West Shelf Project development concept, including securing relevant regulatory and environmental approvals and progressing commercial agreements. “During FEED, Woodside will finalise an assessment of transit requirements for the construction and operations phases of the proposed Browse development,” a spokesperson said. “A key consideration of this plan will be minimising community disturbance from helicopter flights.” With construction and mining workers at Prelude FLNG travelling by helicopter and the operations of neighbouring Ichthys facility by Inpex, traffic at Broome airport peaked at over 1000 flights per month in the 2017-18 period, or one flight approximately every 20 minutes. Broome Hire Centre proprietor and tourism operator Don Bacon said the Woodside helicopters are “too damaging” to Broome tourism. “Tourists come to Broome for the relaxed holiday feel — why would they holiday here if they are going to be assaulted by a pre-dawn chorus of military-style helicopters?” he said. “The town’s main industry is tourism; industrial noise is not compatible with a thriving visitor economy here.” Woodside’s most recent project, Browse, will triple local production, requiring a workforce significantly greater than previous projects. Environs Kimberley director of strategy Martin Pritchard called on Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek to protect the Kimberley coast and its multi-million-dollar tourism industry. “Not only is Woodside’s Browse a disaster for our climate and for WA nature, but it will create absolute helicopter hell for residents in Broome,” he said. “This is just one more reason why Woodside’s Browse project can’t be allowed to go ahead.”