What sets Ashgrove apart
Timber from the farming days
Brisbane's heritage register records a timber house at 180 Waterworks Road from the late 1880s, when Ashgrove was still turning from farmland into a suburb. A timber Queenslander at 140 Ashgrove Avenue dates from about 1886 to 1887, and the real growth came after the tram arrived in 1924.
Two creeks on the alert list
Brisbane City Council's creek flood alerts list Ashgrove under both Enoggera Creek and Ithaca Creek. If your block is close to either, have a look under the house after heavy rain, because a wet subfloor suits termites.
Wildlife along the creek
Further along Enoggera Creek in Alderley, Banks Street Reserve spans more than 20 hectares, and the council lists koalas and wallabies there. With habitat like that nearby, a noise in the roof isn't always a rat.
Termites in an older timber house
Damaged wood and mud tubes are the two signs that matter. Ask the termite inspector to cover the stumps, the subfloor (the space under a raised floor) and any later extension, because CSIRO says renovations can weaken whatever protection the house already had.
If you find mud tubes or soft timber, leave them alone. Several control options rely on finding active termites, and disturbing them makes that harder. In Queensland, whoever does termite work needs a QBCC termite licence on top of a pest management licence, so ask to see both.
Possum removal in Ashgrove
Possums are protected in Queensland, so possum removal here has a narrow legal meaning. A commercial operator with the right licence catches the possum and must let it go within 25 metres of where it was caught. Another possum often moves in afterwards, so repairing the gaps matters more than the catch.
To find the way in, Brisbane City Council suggests stuffing paper into the likely gaps during the day. After dark the possum pushes out through the real one.
Before anyone goes under the house
- Move stored timber, boxes and garden tools away from the stumps.
- Keep mulch and soil well below the weep holes and any timber.
- Write down where you hear noises in the roof, and at what time.
- Mention kids, pets, allergies and fish tanks before any product goes down.
If it were our Ashgrove house
We'd get the termite inspection done first, then deal with the roof gaps, and only call about the possum once we knew how it was getting in. When you're ready, tell us what you've seen and your postcode.
Want someone to look at it?
Tell us what you've seen and your postcode, and a local pest business that handles exactly that calls you to talk it through.
