A Traralgon pub that has been the subject of dozens of noise complaints from nearby residents to both EPA Victoria and Victoria Police faces charges from EPA.

Ryans Family Hotel is a well-known pub in the area and has received advice on managing noise from EPA in the past. The Hotel, and a director, have been charged with breaches of the EP Act 2017.

Charges have been laid in response to community complaints about music being too loud at night. An extensive investigation by EPA, including the use of noise loggers, found that the music was so loud that it was impacting on residents’ sleep up to a kilometre away.

The matter will be heard before Latrobe Valley Magistrates Court on 18 December 2023, when EPA will allege that Ryan’s Hotel failed to comply with a Prohibition Notice, put in place in June 2022, to stop the pub from causing unreasonable noise (including music) from 10pm to 7am. Ryan’s Hotel has also breached the General Environmental Duty (GED) which makes protection of the environment everyone’s business.

EPA notices must be complied with, and noise pollution must be managed. Further information on noise can be obtained from https://www.epa.vic.gov.au/for-business/find-a-topic/noise. Further information on GED obligations are available at https://www.epa.vic.gov.au/about-epa/laws/laws-and-your-business/general-environmental-duty-for-businesses and https://www.epa.vic.gov.au/about-epa/publications/1741-1.

Members of the public can report pollution by calling EPA on 1300 372 842 or online at  www.epa.vic.gov.au