It was the sound of his own footsteps.

"It was the first time I had heard my footsteps in 30 years," Mr Eade said.

After his family had been nagging him for years, telling him they were sick of repeating themselves when talking to him, Mr Eade had finally gone to get his hearing checked.

"Family and friends said, 'you've got to do something, you're too deaf'. It's like glasses. The bit of paper keeps getting moved out and moved out until finally you have to do something," he said. 

"You really don't know how deaf you are until you get hearing aids."

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It was in 2012 when he finally went to Australian Hearing.

"Apparently I had lost 40 per cent hearing out of one ear and I can't hear out of the other one either," Mr Eade said.

The 72-year-old said being able to hear has given him his life back.

"The most valuable thing is communication with family and friends. It's just improved my life."

Mr Eade said he also had a bluetooth device that was connected to his phone. Rather than having to rip one of his hearing aids out to answer a call, as he had done previously, the phone call goes straight to his aid.

It also works the same for his television. Mr Eade picks up the sound from the television signal.

"I'm listening to a lot of movies that I've seen and never heard before," he said.

Australian Hearing is urging Dubbo residents to take part in their Big Aussie Hearing Check.

Free, 15-minute hearing checks will be held across the region, including at South Dubbo Grove Pharmacy on March 14, Aboriginal Medical Services on March 18 and Tim Koerstz Pharmacy on March 21.

According to Australian Hearing, about 3.6 million Australians are affected by hearing loss. That's expected to rise to 7.8 million by 2060.

"It won't cost you anything to go and get a test. Please go and get them done," Mr Eade said.

"Don't hesitate. Stop kidding yourself and go and get a hearing test done. It'll benefit you. You'll be able to hear everything and everyone."

Dubbo residents can also easily check their hearing online or learn more at bigaussiehearingcheck.com.