Coburg's homes and power
Bluestone to bungalows
By 1875 Coburg had 41 bluestone quarries, and early houses were built from uncut basalt floaters. The 1880s land boom brought suburbia, a modern suburb arose after 1910, and the Housing Commission and War Service Homes Commission later filled the gaps.
Heritage controls
Coburg has places protected by Heritage Overlay controls in the Merri-bek planning scheme, plus Victorian Heritage Register places such as the Bluestone Cottage Museum, built in 1864.
Jemena's growing north
Jemena runs the Coburg North and Coburg South zone substations and forecasts demand in the Coburg North area to grow 6.06% a year, as planning changes allow higher-density living. Faults: 131 626.
Renters and owners
At the 2021 Census, 33.2% of occupied homes were rented, 32.2% owned outright and 65.1% were separate houses.
Flash flooding
Merri-bek City Council says the risk of riverine and flash flooding is higher than average in some parts of the municipality. Merri Creek forms Coburg's eastern boundary.
Rewiring during a Coburg renovation
When the walls and ceilings are open, rewiring is far easier than at any other time. If you're renovating an older house, ask an electrician to test the existing wiring before the plasterboard goes up, and decide then whether to replace the lot. Our guide to rewiring older homes explains the choices.
Plan the board at the same time. A renovated kitchen with an induction cooktop, a heat pump hot water system and an EV charger can outgrow an older board quickly.
On a house under a Heritage Overlay, changes to the outside, such as moving the meter box or adding solar facing the street, may need a planning permit. Check with Merri-bek council before you commit.
Questions to ask before your reno starts
- Can you test the existing wiring before the walls are closed up?
- Will the board need upgrading for what we're adding?
- Is any of this prescribed work that needs an inspector?
- Have you checked the meter panel for asbestos?
- Which Certificate of Electrical Safety will we get, and when?
If it were our Coburg reno
We'd bring the electrician in at the design stage, not after demolition. Decide where the power points, lights and appliances go while it's still on paper, test the old wiring once the walls are open, and upgrade the board in the same job if it's needed.
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.