Sadly my grand view of both pads comes to end next year and I have thoroughly enjoyed rating your arrivals and departures to these pads when I could.
I would say these pads only get busy on GP week, Melbourne Cup week, and most Friday afternoons in what I guess are the usual business airport transfers. Other than that it's quite idle with traffic with the only real noisemaker being the infrequent visit by an A109 Grand.
Prior to a foot injury a couple of months ago which has hindered my ability to visit the pads during my lunch break, I would notice most people not noticing and not even turning their heads as a helicopter lifts off the pad. On the other hand die-hards, kids and families love the novelty of seeing a whirlybird setting off on their visit to the big smoke.
I've not seen a lot of joy flights per-say, seems like a lot of these helicopters arrive under some other circumstance and while at the pad switch to the classic joy flight spruiking should there be any takers. It's funny seeing peoples faces when they learn of the cost for a flight.
Also recently noticed the PHS machines visiting... bugger the foot injury.
As for sailing on the Yarra, once-upon-a-time the biggest worry for helicopter operators was not tipping over the long row boats belonging to the clubs up the river. However these days they no longer venture that far down because of increasing commercial activities and too many fast moving motorised water craft creating too much chop.
Cant see how people can enjoy that part of the river, the Toorakians crapper plumbing feeds directly into it, storm drains dump into it with their filters unable to catch small rubbish debris, there are often oily plumes floating on top of it, it smells of decaying organic matter. It's only a river in name.