New and upgraded noise walls for the Eastern Freeway

20 May 2025

Artist's impression of weathered steel noise walls, Koonung Creek Reserve, Balwyn North

As we upgrade the Eastern Freeway, we’ll build new and upgraded noise walls to meet a tough new noise standard.

For the first stage of the Eastern Freeway Upgrades from Burke Road to Tram Road, more than 11 kilometres of new and upgraded noise walls will provide residents with greater noise protection.

Noise walls will also be built in new areas including Musca Street Reserve and Koonung Creek Reserve in Balwyn North and Valda Wetlands and Elgar Park in Mont Albert North. This will give many residents along the Eastern Freeway noise protection for the first time.

Where possible, existing noise walls will be kept and upgraded to minimise construction disruption. Noise-reducing asphalt on the freeway will also help achieve the new noise standard. Where new noise walls are needed, we’ll work to install these early where we can.

Work to install the new and upgraded noise walls will start from mid-2025.

11km of new and upgraded noise walls
63 decibel protection during the day
58 decibel protection at night

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers should be aware this fact sheet contains images of people who have passed away.

Artist's impression of recycled plastic noise walls with greenstone artefact inspired pattern, Box Hill North

Designing the Eastern Freeway noise walls

The Eastern Freeway is on the Country of the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung people, and runs through the valley of Koonung Creek, known to Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung as Koonung Koonung.

Noise walls have been co-designed with Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Elders to celebrate the journey along the Koonung Koonung Songline to the Birrarung (Yarra River).

A Songline is a pathway laid down by creator beings and travelled to learn from Country and to record and pass on knowledge. Songlines are continuous, forever present and alive.

Noise wall materials, shapes and colours for the first stage of the freeway upgrades from Burke Road to Tram Road tell stories of Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung life on Country.

"Waterways represent the bloodlines of Country.” Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Elders."

Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Elders

Confluence of Country

Angled weathered steel walls reference seasonal movement towards the Bolin Bolin Billabong, camping along waterways and Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Mia Mia (shelters) built from large bark slabs arranged in triangular patterns.

Mia Mia shelter

Cultivating Country

Patterned concrete walls reference the unique role of Women in Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung culture who use Mat Rush for multiple purposes, including weaving for baskets, eel traps, hunting nets, headbands, necklaces and mats.

Mat Rush

Making on Country

Recycled plastic noise walls highlight Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung craftsmanship and ingenuity, using existing resources and taking only what is needed. The patterned shapes cast into the walls represent toolmaking and trade through Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung communities and beyond.

Greenstone artefact

Artist's impression of concrete noise walls with Mat Rush weaving inspired patterns, Bulleen

Recycled plastic is a dense and highly absorbent material with excellent noise attenuation properties. Recycled plastic noise walls will save more than 100 tonnes of plastic from landfill, the equivalent of around 2.4 million two-litre milk bottles.

Noise wall colours

Noise wall colours represent layers of Country and landscape including timbers, barks and resins.

Blue acrylic panels on the north side of the freeway represent the sky above. Green acrylic panels on the south side of the freeway represent trees and plants along the waterway.

The acrylic panels will also allow natural light and views through to tree canopy and sky.

1. Weathered steel with green acrylic

Weathered steel noise walls topped with green acrylic panels will be built on the south side of the freeway from Musca Street Reserve to Winfield Reserve.

The deep colour of the weathered steel represents the richness of Mia Mia bark slabs, darkened through burning and waterproofing.

2. Patterned concrete with green acrylic

A new noise wall on the south side of the freeway for the Belle Vue Primary School oval and Mountain View Road will use patterned concrete in a deep, natural brown topped with green acrylic panels.

3. Patterned concrete with blue acrylic

Patterned concrete noise walls topped with blue acrylic panels will be built on the north side of the Eastern Freeway between Thompsons Road and Doncaster Road.

Noise walls will transition from earthy browns at Thompsons Road to lighter tones at Doncaster Road. Colours represent the natural changes in local geology, soil and rock along the freeway.

4. Recycled plastic with green acrylic

Recycled plastic noise walls in deep earthy and rust toned browns topped with green acrylic panels will be built on the south side of the freeway at Valda Wetlands, Elgar Park and Frank Sedgman Reserve.

The pattern cast into the walls was inspired by greenstone artefacts found in Koonung Creek Reserve by Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung representatives during the design of this project.

5. Existing noise wall with clear acrylic extension

Where possible, the existing concrete noise walls on the north side of the freeway between Doncaster Road and Tram Road will be kept and upgraded with clear acrylic extensions. This will minimise construction disruption and help keep trees.

6. Rockface concrete with clear acrylic

Where new noise walls need to be built on the north side of the freeway between Doncaster Road and Tram Road, they will complement the existing concrete walls being retained.

The new walls will use sand and grey coloured concrete with a natural rock face pattern and be topped with clear acrylic panels.

Community consultation – your feedback at work

Designs for the new and upgraded Eastern Freeway noise walls have been developed to meet requirements the community helped prepare during the project’s Environment Effects Statement (EES).

In response to community feedback, noise walls use colours and materials that reflect the character of the local area, minimise overshadowing and overlooking to homes, parklands, waterways and paths, and maximise opportunities for trees and plants to help filter views.

In response to additional community feedback on Urban Design and Landscape plans exhibited for comment in 2022 and 2023, extra trees and plants were added in key locations, including along Koonung Creek Trail.

Installation of weathered steel noise walls for the M80 Ring Road Completion

Key dates

2017 Strategic planning
Community feedback helped understand existing traffic and transport issues and opportunities - 10,000+ pieces of feedback
2018-2019 Environment Effects Statement
Community feedback helped set requirements for the project design - 4000+ pieces of feedback
2022–2023 Urban Design and Landscape plans
Community feedback helped refine the project design ready for construction - 380+ pieces of feedback
2025 Construction to build new and upgraded noise walls starts We’ll be keeping the local community and residents updated as works progress.

Noise wall construction

Work to install new and upgraded noise walls will start from mid-2025 and is expected to continue until early 2027.

Construction will be staged along the freeway and timed so noise wall installation in each area can start and finish as early as possible.

In many areas, preparation work will be needed before new noise walls can be installed. This may include earthworks to create and level the new freeway edges and build retaining walls, as well as tree and vegetation assessments and removal. In some locations, work to move utilities may also be needed.

Where possible we’ll work from the freeway side. Where space is limited, some access to local roads and temporary work sites on the residential side of the walls may be needed.

We’ll be keeping the local community and residents up to date ahead of noise wall installation works starting in their area.

Managing graffiti

Noise walls are being carefully designed to discourage graffiti. Where space allows, trees and plants will help screen noise walls and other flat surfaces so they are harder to access. In other locations, textured patterns or graffiti resistant coatings will be used.

About the new Eastern Freeway Upgrades noise standard

The 63 decibel daytime noise standard for the Eastern Freeway Upgrades is consistent with the highest level of traffic noise protection in Victoria. 63 decibels is around the same sound level as a general conversation or a household air conditioner.

In response to community feedback during the project’s EES, we’re also introducing a quieter 58-decibel level at night from 10pm to 6am, giving residents greater protection.

Monitoring to ensure compliance

Traffic noise will be monitored once the Eastern Freeway Upgrades is finished, and the results made available to the community online.

If measured noise is higher than the required level, we will take action to reduce noise at the affected properties.

In response to community feedback during the EES, we extended the amount of time noise will be monitored from 10 years after the project opens to 20 years.

How noise is measured

Noise is measured on a scale of units called decibels or dB for short. Noise measurements are usually adjusted to reflect how noise is perceived by the human ear. This adjustment is called ‘A’ weighted decibels, or dBA.

Decibel noise scale

decibel noise scale

More information

For more information about noise wall designs and construction:

Visit us
Project Information Centre
284 Doncaster Road Balwyn North
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 9am to 3pm
contact@bigbuild.vic.gov.au
Call us on 1800 105 105
Our phone line is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

For languages other than English please call 9209 0147.

If you need assistance due to a hearing or speech impairment, please visit relayservice.gov.au

Download

Eastern Freeway Upgrades Burke to Tram Noise wall design.pdf (PDF 920.3 KB)