Moonah's homes, then and now
A tram suburb
Suburban growth followed Hobart's tram lines, and Moonah's Main Road was a tram route. The last Hobart tram ran on 21 October 1960.
Cottages and post-war houses
Hobart's tramway-era suburbs have timber and brick cottages on narrow lanes, and post-war houses are common across the city.
Mostly houses, many rented
84.8% of Moonah's occupied homes were separate houses in 2021, and 39.0% were rented.
Modest sizes
47.0% of homes had three bedrooms and 29.9% two. The median age was 35.
Industry next door
Industrial zones run along Charles Street, Sunderland Street and Gormanston Road. For shocks, sparking or a fallen line, TasNetworks answers 132 004.
Signs an old Moonah cottage needs its wiring checked
- Power points or switches that feel warm or look scorched
- Lights that dim or flicker when an appliance starts up
- Rewireable fuses that keep blowing
- Rubber or cloth-covered cable visible in the roof space or under the floor
- Power boards and double adaptors doing the job of missing power points
Burning smell or sparks
Switch off at the main switch if you can do it safely, and get everyone out. If there's smoke or fire, call 000. Leave the power off until an electrician has found the cause.
Renovating an old cottage
Older houses often have fewer power points than people need now, which is how heaters end up on power boards. Opening walls and ceilings during a renovation is the easiest moment to replace old cable and add circuits, so ask the electrician to test the existing wiring before the plasterer arrives.
In Tasmania all electrical work must be done by a licensed person. Once the work is energised, you should get a copy of the record of it in the approved form. Old wiring explains what an electrician looks for.
If it were our cottage
Before a renovation or a new lease, we'd have an electrician test the wiring and look at the board, then decide room by room what stays. Rewiring a small Moonah cottage in stages can work well, as long as the board and safety switches are sorted first.
Want a specialist to sort it?
Tell us the job and your postcode. We match the licence-checked local electrician who does this kind of work, and they call you. No ring-around, and your number goes to them alone.