Melbourne Airport will host a series of community information sessions in Bulla this October and November, giving local residents their first formal opportunity to engage with the airport’s Noise Amelioration Plan and Program for the third runway project.
The Airport’s long-awaited third runway is set to transform the city’s aviation capacity, with a 3-kilometre north–south strip planned parallel to the existing main runway.
The project will also see the east–west runway shortened to accommodate the new layout, alongside upgrades to taxiways, lighting, navigation systems, and emergency and drainage infrastructure. The new runway is expected to open around 2031.
The sessions will take place at Jack McKenzie Community Hall, 11 Green Street, Bulla, across three dates: Monday 27 October between 8am and noon, Monday 10 November between 4pm and 8pm, and Monday 24 November between 8am and noon.
The consultations are part of the airport’s public engagement process, designed to allow residents to learn about the third runway project, ask questions directly, and share their preferences and perspectives on noise mitigation measures.
According to Melbourne Airport, the Noise Amelioration Plan aims to minimise the adverse impacts of aircraft noise for residents and sensitive public buildings in the Hume and Brimbank local government areas, with a particular focus on Bulla and Keilor.
The plan will be developed throughout 2025 and 2026 through a combination of community consultation, research, benchmarking, and project definition. Melbourne Airport has indicated it will seek ministerial approval of the final Noise Amelioration Plan and Program in September 2026.
The sessions represent a key milestone in the long-running third runway development, offering affected communities a direct channel to influence how noise impacts will be addressed in their areas.
Sensitive public buildings referenced by the airport typically include facilities such as schools, hospitals, and aged care centres — infrastructure where aircraft noise can have particularly disruptive effects.
The airport has encouraged community members to register their interest and engage with the consultation opportunities, emphasising that public input will help guide the plan’s development.
The timing of the sessions — offering both morning and evening options — appears designed to accommodate residents with varying work schedules and commitments.
Melbourne Airport’s commitment to a two-year development timeline for the amelioration plan, culminating in ministerial approval in late 2026, suggests a structured process ahead as the third runway project advances toward operational readiness.
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