A wasp nest near the door
Keep people and pets well back and don't disturb it. Clause 50 of Boroondara's Amenity Local Law says the owner or occupier of private land must immediately take steps to have a wasp nest removed by an appropriately qualified contractor. Any trouble breathing or swelling of the face or throat after a sting is a 000 call.
What sets Hawthorn apart
The age of the houses
Hawthorn's heritage study says homes were going up on the south side of Burwood Road by the end of the 1850s, and it describes Manningtree Road as a highly consistent streetscape of late nineteenth and early twentieth century villas. Houses of that age often have timber floors, old wall vents and roofs repaired many times over, so the whole building is worth looking at, not just the spot where you heard something.
The Yarra
Boroondara says platypus may be found in the Yarra River in Kew and Hawthorn. A river corridor brings wildlife close to the back fence, so identify what's moving at night before you pay anyone.
Possums in the street trees and the roof
The council says brushtail and ringtail possums are common in Boroondara and that it doesn't provide possum removal services.
Termite treatment in an older house
Start with an inspection, not a treatment. A termite inspector looks for damaged timber, mud tubes (the thin earth tunnels termites travel in) and damp, then recommends what suits the building. In a house with additions from different eras, that can mean more than one approach.
If you find either, leave them alone until the inspector has seen them. Boroondara's Regulation 51(2) property information covers whether land is in an area prone to infestation of termites. Treat that as a building rule, not a verdict on your house.
Worth asking before you say yes
- Does your technician's Victorian licence carry the authorisation that covers timber pests?
- What did you find, and where? Can I have that in writing?
- Which product will you use, and what's its full name?
- What results should I expect, and what would any warranty cover?
If it were our house in Hawthorn
In a house this old we'd get one proper look through the roof space and subfloor first, fix the damp and the gaps it turns up, and then deal with what's left. If you've found something already, tap it with 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.
