What is Summernats?

Summernats is a car festival including street machine judging, burnout competitions and live music. It is held annually in January at Exhibition Park in Canberra. For more information on the event, visit the Summernats website.

What is Summernats allowed to do?

Exhibition Park, where Summernats is held, has been granted an Environmental Authorisation under the Environment Protection Act 1997. An environmental authorisation is a regulatory tool that allows certain activities that pose an environmental risk and can impose specific conditions on the activity.

The Environmental Authorisation at Exhibition Park allows motor sports and outdoor concerts at Exhibition Park as part of Summernats. It is subject to a number of conditions, including:

  • Motor sports and outdoor concert activities may only be conducted as part of the Summernats between the hours of 9 am and 10 pm, excluding the “Go to Whoe Strip”outlined below.
  • The maximum noise permitted for the Summernats event is 55dB(A) during the permitted hours of operation (9am – 10pm), excluding the “Go to Whoe Strip” outlined below.

“Go to Whoe Strip”

The permitted noise levels and corresponding authorised hours of operation of the “Go to Whoe Strip” are also outlined in the Environmental Authorisation. The maximum noise limit is 65 dB(A) during the specified times and 55dB(A) between 12 noon and 1 pm on each day of the festival.

You can see these specified times in the table labelled “Attachment 2” in the Environmental Authorisation.

If noise from the Summernats contravenes the environmental authorisation, the organisers of the event may be in contravention of the Environment Protection Act 1997 (ACT).

The permitted noise levels and corresponding authorised hours of operation of the “Go to Whoe Strip” are also outlined in the Environmental Authorisation. The maximum noise limit varies from 55dB(A) to 65dB(A) depending on the time of day.

The maximum noise limit is 55dB(A) during the following periods:

  • Thursday 5pm – 6pm
  • Friday 9am – 10am and 12pm – 1pm
  • Saturday 1pm – 2pm
  • Sunday 12pm – 1pm

The maximum noise limit is 65 dB(A) during the following times:

  • Thursday 3pm – 5pm
  • Friday 10am – 12pm and 1pm to 6pm
  • Saturday 10am to 1pm and 2pm to 6pm
  • Sunday 9am to 12pm and 1pm to 6pm

You can see these specified times in the table labelled “Attachment 3” in the Environmental Authorisation.

If noise from the Summernats contravenes the environmental authorisation, the organisers of the event may be in contravention of the Environment Protection Act 1997 (ACT).

Note: that the event is monitored by independent noise monitoring at compliance points in Watson. For more information, see the Environmental Authorisation.

How do I complain about noise and Summernats?

Environmental noise, including motor sport and music noise, is regulated by the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA). To lodge a noise complaint with the EPA during Summernats or to make an enquiry, contact the EPA by calling 13 22 81 or make a complaint via the Access Canberra website.

Note that noise generated by people talking, laughing and yelling is not covered by the Act. If you want to complain about this noise or behaviour, you should contact the Australian Federal Police by calling 02 6256 7777.

Where do I find out more information?

  • To view the ACT Government fact sheet on noise click here
  • To view the EDO’s Noise Pollution Fact Sheet click here.

Disclaimer: The law described in this fact sheet is current at 12 December 2019. This fact sheet has been designed to give readers plain English background information in planning and environmental law in the ACT. It is brief, for general information purposes only and does not replace the need for professional legal advice in individual cases. To request free initial legal advice, please contact us on (02) 6243 3460. While every effort has been made to ensure the information is accurate, the EDO does not accept any responsibility for any loss or damage resulting from any error in this fact sheet, or reliance or use of this work. Duplication and reproduction of the information is permitted with acknowledgment of the EDO. This fact sheet was produced with the assistance of funds made available by the ACT Government through the Justice and Community Services Directorate.