What's different in Ocean Grove
Mosquitoes from Lake Connewarre
The City of Greater Geelong says the major breeding sites affecting Ocean Grove, Wallington and Barwon Heads are in the Lake Connewarre wetlands. Locally it names Pacey's Island off Thacker Street and Saltwater Ridge off Lings Road.
A bushland reserve in town
Parks Victoria says Ocean Grove Nature Reserve is the largest patch of indigenous vegetation left on the Bellarine away from the coast, with more than 130 bird species recorded.
Buruli ulcer is a health question
The Better Health Channel lists the Bellarine Peninsula among places where Buruli ulcer is being identified, and says its list may not be complete. Talk to your GP; no pest treatment protects you from it.
Possum removal in Ocean Grove: what the rules allow
People search for possum removal, but Victoria's law points somewhere else. Possums are protected under the Wildlife Act 1975, so the usual answer is proofing: a pest business finds the entry points and closes them once the possum's out.
Where trapping is allowed at all, it's tightly limited. It's brushtails only, in a cage trap designed not to injure, with release on the same property, within 50 metres, after sunset that day. Trapping a ringtail without a permit is illegal. We'd leave this to a DEECA licensed Wildlife Controller, and DEECA answers questions. More on our Geelong possums page.
Termite inspection and termite treatment
Most homes with termites find damaged wood or mud tubes, not wings. Leave them undisturbed for the inspector, because several control options rely on finding termites active.
In Victoria, termite work needs a technician whose licence carries the general authorisation including timber pests. Ask which authorisation they hold, or check the Department of Health's register, which shows the name and expiry date.
Victorian termite designations are building rules for new work, not maps of where termites live. We couldn't confirm Greater Geelong's status, so don't read anything into it. Our Geelong termite page has the signs.
Questions before a treatment
- What did the inspection find, and where's the entry point?
- What's the product's full name?
- How long should we stay out, and what about pets?
- What does any warranty cover, in writing?
If it were our place in Ocean Grove
We'd get a termite inspection on the calendar first, then listen to the roof for a few nights: thumps usually mean a possum, scratching more often means rodents. Tip out standing water from August on. For anything else, tell us 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.
