What's going on in Wollert
Doubling in size
The City of Whittlesea expects Wollert to grow from 28,700 residents to 59,000 in 2040. Homes, parks and town centres are still arriving, and council says first home buyers and young families lead the way.
River Red Gums, some hundreds of years old
Council says these trees are being protected in conservation reserves or worked into new parks. Big old gums and new rooflines side by side mean birds and possums are close neighbours.
Reserves between the estates
New development in Wollert is planned around large conservation reserves set aside for biodiversity. Council still doesn't remove pests from private property, so what crosses your fence is yours to deal with.
Wasp nests must go
Whittlesea's local laws require residents to make sure a wasp nest doesn't remain on their premises. Nature strips and council land are council's to look after.
Rodent control in a new estate
A new home can still have gaps: around pipes and cables, behind the meter box, under a garage door that hasn't settled. Mice need very little room, and CSIRO says they head indoors as the weather cools, so autumn is a common time to first hear them.
While the block next door is still being built on, keep building rubble and offcuts away from your walls, and keep bins lidded. If it's still going after that, a pest controller can find the way in. Our Melbourne rat and mouse page explains what's involved.
Termites on a new build
A new house isn't immune. Victorian termite designations are set council by council, and we couldn't confirm Whittlesea's. Ask your builder what termite management went in, if any, and whether it needs upkeep. Mornington Peninsula Shire makes the point that protection needs ongoing maintenance to stay effective.
Landscaping is where owners undo the good work. Keep soil and mulch below the slab edge and clear of weep holes (the small gaps at the bottom of brick walls), so an inspector can still see where the house meets the ground.
Your first year in a new Wollert home
- Ask the builder for any termite management paperwork and file it.
- Check meter boxes, pipe entries and garage door seals for gaps.
- Keep garden beds and mulch clear of weep holes.
- Empty the pot plant bases and the wheelbarrow before they breed mosquitoes.
- Watch for wasps going in and out of the lawn in late summer, and stay clear.
Our take on pests in Wollert
We'd sort the paperwork before the garden. Find out what termite management your builder used, then deal with pests as they show up: tap what you've seen 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.
