HELICOPTER flights over key tourist attractions such as the Twelve Apostles could increase under draft rules being considered by the state government.
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A Department of Planning and Community Development review of helicopter landing sites wants to ease the requirements for operators.
Under present planning rules, a permit is needed for a helicopter landing site regardless of whether it is for permanent or temporary use.
The review suggests a permit should not be required where the hours of helicopter operation and frequency are limited and where there is a one-kilometre setback from a sensitive use.
Flights from each site would be restricted to a maximum of eight takeoffs or landings in a 30-day period and four in a 24-hour period.
Flight movements would be restricted to between 7am and sunset on a weekday or 8am and sunset on a weekend.
Helicopters engaged in emergency, rescue or agricultural operations will also be exempt from obtaining planning permits.
Corangamite Shire’s planning and building services manager Ray McInerney said there was some concern about the draft rules when helicopters were used for passenger transportation, including tourist flights.
“This is particularly the case where there is a high-value tourism asset such as the Twelve Apostles (and) where there is demand for scenic flights for tourism purposes,” Mr McInerney said.
“A key issue with these provisions relates to enforcement and the ability for different parcels of land in the vicinity of a high-value attraction to be used for as-of-right helicopter landing sites.
“There is potential for new as-of-right users to establish without having to meet the same conditions or limitations as existing operators.”
Cr Chris O’Connor said he was concerned by the increasing practice of placing restrictions on daily activities.
“If I have a truck I can start it up and roar up at any time of the day, but if I have a helicopter I can’t,” he said.
“It should relate to daylight hours only rather than 7am to sunset. You don’t want people breaking the law because the legislation is silly.
"I just reckon we get too hung up on regulation. Bringing in restrictions all the time, it just turns people off. We’re just getting into people’s lives too much.”
Mayor Matt Makin said he did not think residents would be happy to have helicopters overhead very early in the morning during daylight saving.
“Helicopters have quite a controversial history in this shire so I guess we have to be cognisant as to what is going on.”
