Sunbury's local picture
The possum that turns out to be a rat
Hume's possum fact sheet says a high percentage of people who think they have a possum in the roof actually have a rat, which makes rapid gnawing sounds and high pitched squeaks. It matters because the two jobs are nothing alike.
Jacksons Creek
Hume says the vegetation along Jacksons Creek forms a natural corridor for wildlife, and it asks dog owners to help the Sunbury platypus population. Native animals use that strip right through town.
Rabbits and foxes
Hume calls rabbits a significant pest animal, and both rabbits and red foxes are declared established pest animals under the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994. In town, foxes raid bins. Hume's local law asks owners to take reasonable steps to control pest animals on their land.
European wasps
Hume's General Purposes Local Law No. 1 2023 requires an owner or occupier to ensure any European wasps on the land are destroyed. That's a pest business's job, not a weekend project.
Possum or rat in the roof?
| Brushtail possum | Rat | |
|---|---|---|
| Sound | Scampering feet, deep guttural coughs and sharp hisses | Rapid gnawing, high pitched squeaks, scratching |
| Timing | Leaves at dusk to feed, sleeps in the roof by day | Busy at night, though black rats are often seen by day |
| Way in | Loose tiles or iron, broken eaves, holes in timber or brickwork | Gnawed holes and gaps; they also chew cables and woodwork |
| What's left behind | Urine stains, droppings and odour | Black droppings, greasy rub marks along regular routes |
| The rules | Protected wildlife: proofing and lawful catch and release on the property | A pest business can trap or bait |
A two evening check
NSW Government guidance suggests watching the roof line at dusk to see if a possum comes out, and sprinkling flour near a likely entry point to see whose footprints turn up. It works just as well in Sunbury, as long as you can reach the spot from the ground or a steady step. Stay out of the roof space itself.
If it were our roof in Sunbury
Do the dusk watch first. If a possum comes out, the fix is proofing the gap once it's gone for the night, by someone who works within Victoria's rules. If nothing appears and the noise keeps going, it's probably rodents, so tell us that 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.
