Three things Knox's local law says
Wasp nests, clause 3.12
Under the Amenity Local Law 2020, an owner or occupier who becomes aware of a wasp nest on private land must take immediate steps to have it destroyed. That means arranging it, not tackling it yourself. Keep everyone back and call a pest business.
Honey bee swarms, clause 3.11
The same duty applies to an unmanaged swarm. Knox says a registered apiarist (a beekeeper) can take a hive hanging from a tree or shrub, while one inside a log or a wall goes to a pest controller.
Rats and mice, clause 3.13
This one covers the conditions that shelter or feed them as well as the animals themselves. Tidying the shed and sealing the compost is part of meeting it.
Private land is yours to sort out
Knox says it doesn't investigate infestations on private property. Its Health Services Unit looks at public land, and nests on power poles go to SP AusNet.
The Dandenong Creek side of Wantirna
J.W. Manson Reserve is a public park spanning Dandenong Creek, with forest and a billabong on the floodplain. Knox's biological survey, revised in 2010, rates it of State significance and calls it one of very few sites in Knox with sugar gliders. It also notes mature gums with hollows that suit birds, bats and possums.
So if you're near the creek, expect possums, and expect them to be protected. Knox says they aren't pests, they must not be harmed, and it doesn't hire out cages for trapping them. A brushtail in the roof calls for proofing, and our Melbourne possum page sets out what Victoria allows.
Termite treatment in Wantirna
Knox asks a building owner to complete and sign a termite statement before a building permit is issued, nominating protection against subterranean termites: physical barriers, granite screenings, stainless steel mesh, soil treatment or a combination. That's a step for new building work. It isn't a map of where termites are, and a home without one on file isn't in the clear.
For a house that's already standing, look for damaged wood and mud tubes, and don't disturb either. Active termites give the technician more options, so take a photo and leave them. Termite treatment begins with an inspection, then a written report and a plan.
What we'd ask a pest business
- Does the technician hold the Victorian general authorisation that includes timber pests?
- Will you write down what you found, and where?
- Which product will you use, and how long until we can go back in?
- What does any warranty cover, and for how long?
Where we'd start with pests in Wantirna
Read the local law as a nudge. Once you know there's a nest or rats, get someone moving this week rather than next month. A swarm goes to a beekeeper first. For the rest, tap what you've found and 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.
