What's different around Dapto
The conservation area stops near here
NPWS says the Illawarra Escarpment State Conservation Area runs about 40 kilometres from Stanwell Park to West Dapto, and sits close to rural properties at Dapto and Wongawilli.
The lake's western side is changing
The NSW Government says urban development is planned for the western side of Lake Illawarra. Mullet Creek is one of the lake's waterways, and with Macquarie Rivulet it makes up about 70% of the lake's catchment.
Spiders worth a second look
The Australian Museum has Sydney funnel-web records from Wollongong, though that's outside the main range. Any bite from a big black spider is a 000 call, without waiting for symptoms.
Mosquito traps
The latest local health district summary we found, for 2022 to 2023, reported low numbers across the Wollongong council area and its neighbours.
What to check first
| A rural or older place | A newer home | |
|---|---|---|
| Termites | Look for damaged timber and mud tubes around the subfloor (the space under a raised floor), posts and sheds | Find the termite notice, usually in the meter box, and keep its details |
| Rodents | Feed, chook pens and stacked materials | Gaps left around new pipes and vents |
| Water | Dams, troughs and blocked gutters | Pot bases, new drainage and low spots in fresh lawn |
| Who to ask | A termite inspector, before any renovation or sale | Your builder first, for what was installed |
If you find something
Don't disturb termites or mud tubes. Several control options depend on finding them active, and a technician will want to see them as they are. Photograph what you can and leave it.
On a bigger block, say so when you ask for a quote. Sheds, retaining walls and outbuildings all add to the job, and a written quote should say what's included and what isn't.
Signs a quote needs a second look
- A price before anyone's seen the property.
- Pressure to sign today.
- No product name, or a vague answer about what's being used.
- Promises about results, instead of what any warranty covers in writing.
If it were our block in Dapto
We'd walk the sheds, fences and subfloor once a year with a torch, and tip out anything holding water in the warmer months. New home? Dig out that termite notice now. For anything you can see or hear, tell us 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.
