How Doreen is put together
A line through the suburb
The City of Whittlesea says Doreen's urban area is its own, while the rural area sits outside the urban growth boundary in the Shire of Nillumbik. Your rates notice will tell you which applies.
About 25 years old
Council says Doreen has developed over the past 25 years. Gardens that age have filled in, so check where shrubs and mulch now meet the walls.
River red gums and the Plenty
Doreen is known for its river red gums and landscape character. The Plenty River runs beside it, and Plenty Gorge park adjoins the river south of Bridge Inn Road. Tree hollows and water make the wildlife part of the street.
Which council does what?
| Whittlesea side | Nillumbik side | |
|---|---|---|
| Nest in your yard | Local laws say it can't stay on your premises. Council points you to a pest control expert | Council recommends a qualified pest business |
| Nest next door | Owners are responsible for their own property | Talk with your neighbour first |
| Nest on council land | Report it to council | Note where it is and call council |
| Rats and mice | Owners deal with them on private land | Identify them first: native bush rats must not be poisoned |
What people in Doreen run into
Mice and rats move indoors for food and shelter through winter, and both councils say so. On a rural block, the rule that matters most is Nillumbik's: native bush rats and the Agile Antechinus are found there and must not be poisoned. If you're not sure what's in the shed, get it identified.
European wasps are the summer and autumn job. Most nests are in the ground, so a line of wasps going into a hole in the lawn is the thing to look for. Stay back and leave it to a pest business. Our Melbourne wasp page explains what happens next.
Possums under the river gums
Old gums and a warm roof suit possums. They're protected, so a pest business can proof the roof, and any lawful catch and release stays on your property, within 50 metres of where the possum was caught and after sunset. Ringtails can't be trapped without a permit. See Melbourne possums.
Who does what on a Doreen block
You can
- Find out which council you're in before reporting anything.
- Keep stock feed, pet food and compost sealed.
- Store firewood off the ground and away from the house.
Leave to a pest business
- Identifying what's in the shed or roof.
- Any wasp nest treatment.
- Termite inspections and roof proofing.
Where we'd start with pests in Doreen
Check your rates notice for the council, then work out whether the problem is on your land. If it is, tap what you've seen and your postcode, and a local pest business can take a look.
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.
