More than one million Aussies are exposed to dangerous noise levels at work – none more so than these.

Nicole Bretherton reckons the noise is like someone starting up a lawn mower and pushing it through her lounge every few minutes.

"It's just debilitating," Bretherton said, describing a relentless wall of nerve-jangling sound she lives under from planes taking off and landing at Brisbane Airport.

The airport operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, so aircraft can arrive and depart at any time, and recent runway changes have ramped up noise impacts.

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"It's like having a headache, a constant headache, and it wears you down," Bretherton said.

"Your mental health takes a hiding because you just can't escape it. You have interrupted sleep. You can't concentrate. You can't relax. I feel irritated. I'm tired. I'm cranky.

"And then you've got things like lack of sunshine, of fresh air, because we rarely want to sit outside anymore."

Along with her husband, Bretherton, 52, lives in Hamilton, a riverside suburb in Brisbane's north-east, about 5.5km south-west of the airport.

They've owned their home for 10 years, but the noise only really became problematic when a second runway was opened in July 2020.

When that happened, doubling the airport's flight capacity and creating a series of new flight paths over large swathes of the city, the noise quickly got unbearable for her.

But Bretherton is far from alone.

Complaints from Brisbane residents about the noise have exploded since the opening of the runway, which injects an estimated $1 billion to Queensland's economy every year.

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At peak times, planes take off and land every few minutes. There is no curfew at Brisbane Airport, so aircraft buzz through the night.

Every morning at 2.50am, an Emirates Boeing 777-300ER takes off from Brisbane, bound for Dubai, waking Bretherton from her sleep.

"The house shakes some nights," Bretherton said.

"I'll be lying in bed … and I can feel it."

She admits to sometimes second-guessing herself, questioning if she's somehow lost context and become obsessed with the noise.

"But then I have people over sometimes and they're just like, 'Oh my God, how do you live with this?'"

The second runway not only doubled down on the number of planes moving each day, but it created new flight paths above many suburbs that were never previously affected.

Illustrating the problem, data from the national aviation noise watchdog reveals complaints about noise have been made from 226 suburbs across Brisbane since the second runway opened.

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Numbers are an important part of this story.

In August, there were 17,828 aircraft movements at Brisbane Airport, an average of 575 flights per day.

While some think that's already too much, they will need to brace for a significant increase in air traffic at the airport over the next 15 years.

The Brisbane Airport master plan has projected flight movements to grow from around 213,000 in 2020 to almost 380,000 by 2040.

The plan estimates just under 250,000 flight movements this year, which means the path to 2040 will bring a 50 per cent increase in air activity.

It's no wonder airport noise has become a citywide and political issue.

'Screw with the sleep of a whole population'

Ahead of next year's state election, the Greens have called for a night curfew and hourly flight cap at the airport, similar to rules Sydney Airport must abide.

But Deputy Premier Steven Miles has blasted those proposals, claiming it's only "wealthy inner-city elites" who don't want planes flying over their neighbourhoods, at the expense of business, jobs and industry in the state.

Melanie Stott, a mother-of-two, said aircraft noise had never been a problem in the two decades she has lived in Toowong, which lies around 15km south-west of the runways.

But, like Bretherton, that changed when the second runway went operational.

"The whole argument of 'don't buy in that area if you don't want to be disturbed by planes' doesn't apply to us because we have owned property here for a long time," Stott said.

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Stott describes a particular flight that soars above her home at the same time each night "that seems to almost rattle our windows", waking up her and her husband.

"I think about our own family, but I also think of it as a whole wider population problem," she said.

"Like what are we going to do if we consistently screw with the sleep of a whole population? It's not healthy for people.

"I understand that in a big city you need to be able to have planes taking off," Stott said, but she questions why more planes don't take off and land over Moreton Bay, instead of using flight paths over the city and its population of 2.5 million.

"We definitely needed a second runway. I'm not saying we should shut it all down and not have any planes. But they just need to run (the planes and flight paths) over the bay."

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Both of Brisbane's runways allow for planes to take off and land over Moreton Bay, a directional mode which significantly reduces noise pollution.

But there's a catch.

That mode of operation – known as simultaneous opposite direction parallel runway operations, or SODPROPS – can only be used at the airport during the night, and only if strict weather and flying conditions allow, including wind speed, visibility and rain.

If those environmental factors don't align, air traffic control instead directs jets and planes on a variety of routes over city suburbs.

Airservices Australia is the federal agency charged with deciding what modes of operation run at Brisbane Airport each day.

A spokesperson told 9news.com.au Airservices "is committed to improving noise outcomes for the Brisbane community, where safe and operationally feasible".

They added Airservices would like to use SODPROPS much more often.

But as it stands, SODPROPS is hardly ever operational.

In June-August, SODPROPS was used for an average of 3.4 per cent of all Brisbane Airport flights, 9news.com.au can confirm, due to restrictions.

"Safety is Airservices' number one remit," the spokesperson said.

They confirmed the agency is looking into ways it can make SODPROPS the priority mode 24/7, instead of its current night-time only use.

'Community is collateral damage'

Airservices said it also considering other noise reduction measures, including sharing airspace with RAAF Base Amberley and redesigning flight paths to reduce frequency and concentration of planes over residential areas.

Nikki Holmes, who lives in an apartment building in East Brisbane, close to The Gabba, sleeps every night with earplugs.

She talks about "constant noise" and being fatigued in the morning.

"Everyone has the right to live in their home. It's supposed to be a safe place and your sanctuary, and thousands and thousands of people (in Brisbane) don't have that."

It's got to the point where Holmes is considering selling. But where she would move to is a confounding question.

"The noise is a hot topic everywhere," she said.

"I've got friends that live a couple of suburbs away, and you go to barbecues on a weekend and it's a discussion everyone has, and people are sick of having the discussion but nothing's happened."

Ross, who did not want his full name used, has lived in an old timber and tin Queenslander style house, in Balmoral Hill, a "wonderful neighbourhood" in Brisbane's inner-east for 41 years.

He said his family's quality of life has been "completely destroyed" by the noise.

"We live with all windows and doors closed 24/7 (and) our outside deck and verandah have had little use in the last three years because of the noise," he said.

"The community is unfortunately collateral damage."

Ross said he felt duped during community consultation sessions while the runway was being planned, claiming officials had "deliberately downplayed the impact (the second runway and flight paths) would have on our lives".

Brisbane Airport Corporation, who purchased the airport on a 50-year lease from the Federal Government in 1997 for $1.4 billion, is staunchly opposed to any curfew or flight caps.

It argues curtailing flights will have far-reaching and serious consequences for Queensland's economy.

Losing Brisbane as a night-time airport would severely hurt national cargo and mining operations and tourism, Stephen Beckett, a spokesperson for the corporation, said.

Airservices has just completed another round of community meetings to try and address noise impacts caused by changes to Brisbane's airport and airspace.

Words: Mark Saunokonoko

Video and graphics: Polly Hanning

Residents in Victoria's Gippsland region who have spent an anxious day sheltering from bushfires now face a new menace.

The weather system providing welcome rain to firegrounds threatens to swamp the state in the coming days.

Abushfire at Briagolong has more than tripled in size to more than 17,500 hectares, fanned by winds reaching 80 km/h.

READ MORE: Emergency warnings issued for two NSW fires

A small night crew will monitor the fire overnight, which could burn for weeks after it burned through a pine plantation.

The warnings for Briagolong and Loch Sport fires have been downgraded but people are being asked to stay alert.

In the coming days, emergency services will turn their attention to the storms.

"Our focus now turns to the flood risk, which is both a riverine and a flash flood risk," State Emergency Service (SES) chief operations officer Tim Wiebusch said.

There are concerns rural areas could be isolated for 24 to 48 hours if the weather hits the east of the state over the next two days.

There is a potential for flash flooding amid thunderstorms, while fire-affected areas around East Gippsland debris and landslides are a concern.

Severe weather has triggered a watch and act warning to prepare to potentially take shelter for communities from Marysville through to the NSW border.

Landowner Mick Cumming and his neighbours stayed to defend their homes as fires burned in their area.

"The whole sky was just literally red and you could see the flames licking up trees," he said.

Firefighters have been working around the clock to contain the fires.

Bushfires can be fast-moving, for the latest information visit the Vic Emergency website here.

"Our emergency services are responding in some really difficult situations," Premier Jacinta Allen said.

The situation has raised fears that not enough has been done to prepare for summer.

"We are doing less than half the amount of fuel reduction burning under this government than we were under the previous one," East Gippsland MP Tim Bull claimed.

"It can only end one way and that is with mega-fires."

In Sale, a relief centre provided shelter for evacuees anxiously waiting to see their houses 

"Anxious is an understatement, but you know I'm very eager to get back home," Golden Beach resident Rick Stamford said.

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Evacuees Christie Jordan-Phan and Joe Jordan-Phan packed their belongings in the car and left their home.

"We just chucked stuff in the car, we thought we'd do the right thing because I'd rather get out too early then decide to leave too late," Joe said.

"The windows were rattling and you're getting all of these Vic Emergency messages and so many phone calls," Christie said.

Further east at Loch Sport, a separate fire jumped the only road in and out.

The menacing blaze was burning toward the town centre, trapping residents without power.

More than 40 people were given shelter and food at the local pub.

One home was lost in Briagolong on Monday but no further property losses have been reported.

Meanwhile, the severe weather has already battered the state, brought down trees and left hundreds without power.

Doncaster East and Ringwood in Melbourne's east bore the brunt of the storm as trees toppled onto parked cars.

Mount Evelyn locals Ashley and Danielle Marion woke to a loud bang at 4am to find a tree had fallen on their house.

"The bang was pretty scary so we kind of expected the worst when we woke up but it's not as bad as it could be," Danielle said.

The SES responded to 250 calls for help from midnight to midday.

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The alarm was raised at 2.20pm after the man went missing at Slope Point, Southland.

Seniors are being urged to downsize to free up larger multi-bedroom homes as a potential solution to Australia's housing crisis.

Many retirees, however, say they are put off by the daunting administration, up front costs and are unwilling to leave the home they have lived in for decades.

"It is complicated and we need to make it easier," Downsizing economist Michael Blythe said.

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"We talk about a housing shortage in Australia, but what economists will tell you is we've got an excess of bedrooms, just not in the right place…maybe instead of first home buyers, we should be thinking about last home buyers."

Data shows that one-third of the baby boomer generation feels as though their homes are too big for them, including Ros and Ken Vaughn, aged 73 and 80.

"It wasn't an easy decision initially, but then I saw Ken up on the roof – the maintenance on this house was beginning to show," Ros Vaughan said.

"We knew we had to find the right place for us, while we were fit enough to do it."

The couple have lived in their Carrs Park family home for 38 years, but recently decided to move into Oasis Apartments in Peakhurst.

While downsizing is a good option, Blythe says the lengthy process could be an obstacle, as well as freeing up the equity.

"They're asset-rich but cash-poor, and we need to find some way to rationalise that," he said.

"We need to find a way to generate income for this group and get them into dwellings."

Super benefits are one-way retirees can get around downsizing.

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The Downsizer Contribution Scheme means anyone over 55 can send $300,000 from the sale of their home straight into their super account.

"One of the hidden secrets of downsizing given the returns super funds generate, the average downsizer is looking at an extra $20,000."

Online platform downsizer.com is also offering a solution for those looking to move to a smaller property.

"It's essentially a deposit bond, so it's not like a reverse mortgage, it's not like bridging loans – all of which are quite expensive," Blythe said.

Downsizing.com.au also provides a comparative tool that lets users compare available properties. 

"There's mostly independent living (properties), there's retirement villages, there are land lease communities," Amanda Graham, downsizing.com.au CEO said.

"Obviously people are very emotionally attached to their home, (but) it can free people up to have the sort of lifestyle that they want."

Residents could be facing a double-digit rates hike next year.

The slip is in the exact same location as another major landslide during Cyclone Bola.

Parking signs can be confusing at the best of times, but a particularly cryptic one in Sydney has meant drivers had their cars wrongly towed.

Senior 9News reporter Eddy Meyer was on Kent Street in central Sydney yesterday with a cameraman and assistant ahead of an interview.

The team pulled the Nine crew car up, examined the sign with its eight different directives, and got a ticket from the machine.

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"We know that street well… normally you can park there for four hours," Meyer told 2GB's Ben Fordham.

"Hamish the cameraman even went to the machine and paid for, I think, two hours of parking and the machine gave him a ticket – took his money and gave him a ticket."

The ticket machine didn't come up with an error message about checking signs, so the crew headed off to do the interview.

But when they came back, the car was gone.

"There was a couple sitting at the cafe and I turned to them and said: 'Did they tow our car?' and they just said, 'Yes'," Meyer said.

A call to the towing company was made and the driver happened to be doing a lap nearby, so he came back to chat to them. 

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https://twitter.com/eddy_meyer/status/1708646319567564891

"I flagged him down and said, 'Mate, where's our car?' and he told me. And I said, 'Well, what did we do wrong?' and he said, 'Did you read the sign?'"

It turns out the confusion stemmed from an addition to the clearway section of the sign, due to the public holiday in NSW. 

The sign read: "Special Event Clearway 2pm-9pm Sat 30 Sept, Sun 1 Oct, Mon 2 Oct" – which was interpreted that the clearway was for 2-9pm on each of those days.

https://omny.fm/shows/ben-fordham-full-show/our-car-was-towed-tv-reporter-stung-by-confusing-p/embed?style=cover

However, apparently the towing company had interpreted it as being in place from 2pm on Saturday until 9pm on Monday.

"He towed us and he towed a whole bunch of people, I'm not having a go at the towie, he's just a bloke doing his job, he was very friendly, Meyer said.

"It's not his fault.

"He's simply enforcing what he's been told to enforce."

In a statement, Transport for NSW said the Nine crew and other drivers who had their cars wrongly towed were actually in the right.

"In this instance tow truck company has towed vehicles in error, despite having received clear communication from Transport for NSW on the clearway," it said.

"Transport for NSW is now working with the tow truck company to rectify all associated fines and fees, and we sincerely apologise for the inconvenience this has caused those impacted.

"Transport for NSW is continually working to ensure road and parking signs are as clear as possible while still providing what can be complex information," the statement read.

A New South Wales business has been ordered to pay $178,000 in fines and legal costs after it was caught exploiting the state's Return and Earn recycling scheme.

Clarence Valley Metal Recyclers (CVMR) has been fined $149,000 by the Land and Environment Court after the court found an initial $45,000 fine issued by the Local Court last year was "unreasonably low" and an "insufficient deterrent."

CVMR was prosecuted by the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) in 2022 under the NSW Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Act 2001.

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CVMR pleaded guilty in a court case last year, admitting that the company bought 66 tonnes of containers that had already been recycled from Glen Industries for $57,000.

They then submitted those containers to the Return and Earn scheme, as well as an additional 33 tonnes of non-eligible containers.

The court found that the company gained significant financial benefits over the long-term exploitation of the scheme.

The EPA found CVMR falsely submitted more than three million containers to the program.

"The Return and Earn scheme is one of the best recycling schemes in the world and it is very disappointing that someone would take advantage of that and return containers they know are ineligible as well as containers that had already received a refund," EPA Acting Executive Director, Arminda Ryan said in a statement.

"To protect the integrity of the scheme, containers are closely monitored, and this will continue to help us root out fraudulent behaviour from individuals and companies."

CVMR is also required to pay the EPA more than $29,000 in investigation and legal costs related to the Local Court proceedings, as well as legal costs for the appeal.