Noble Park, up close
One home in three is a flat
Greater Dandenong's 2016 profile says nearly one third of Noble Park's 10,200 homes are flats, twice the proportion of metropolitan Melbourne. If you share a roof space or walls, tell the technician so they can look past your own door.
Not a declared termite area, and that's all it means
The City of Greater Dandenong says it isn't a declared termite area, then in the same breath recommends regular inspections for signs of termites and termite protection for home building work. We'd take the second half of that sentence seriously.
Rodents are the owner's job
Council says rodent control on private property must be done by the property owner. It also says native rodents are protected under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, so get the identification right first.
Mile Creek
Council names Mile Creek among the three main watercourses through the city, with a litter trap at Heatherton Road in Noble Park. Litter and water together are what rats and mosquitoes look for, so keep your own stretch of fence clear of rubbish.
Possums: what Dandenong's own page says
Council describes possums as native animals that have learnt to live in the suburbs, and it's plain that relocating one is prohibited. Only brushtails living in buildings can be trapped, and then only to release on the same property or take to a registered vet. Ringtails may not be trapped.
That lines up with the state rule: release within 50 metres of the capture point, after sunset on the same day. A search for possum removal usually ends in proofing the roof, and our possums and the law guide sets it out.
Questions worth asking before you say yes
- Does your technician's Victorian licence cover timber pests, if this is a termite job?
- Which product will you use, and what's its full name?
- If I share walls or a roof, will you need access next door?
- Can you put the expected result and any warranty terms in writing?
Our take on Noble Park
In a flat, start with the neighbours and whoever manages the building. In a house, have a termite inspection on a regular basis, as council recommends. Tell us what you've found and we'll take it from there.
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.
