What's different about Hawthorn's homes and power
A renters' suburb
At the 2021 Census, 4,423 of Hawthorn's occupied homes (45.6%) were rented, more than were owned outright or with a mortgage. In Victoria every rental needs a licensed or registered electrician's check every 2 years, and from 13 October 2026 that covers all rentals, not just newer leases.
Mostly flats
5,741 homes, or 59.1%, were flats or apartments. In a block, the main switchboard, meter panel and cable routes are often shared, which changes who needs to agree before work starts.
1880s cottages and villas
Hawthorn boomed in the 1880s, and the Grace Park and Hawthorn Grove precincts still hold tight rows of houses from that decade. Wiring that old has usually been patched by several owners.
CitiPower's poles and wires
Hawthorn is on CitiPower's network, and outages go to CitiPower on 13 12 80. In March 2026 CitiPower put some of its first pole-mounted EV chargers here, on Denham, Henry and Smart Streets, for drivers without off-street parking.
Gardiners Creek
VICSES names Gardiners Creek as one of Boroondara's major waterways, and Hawthorn and Hawthorn East have their own local flood guide. A December 2016 storm caused flash flooding with over 1,200 calls for help.
The jobs that come up most in Hawthorn
Rental safety checks. The 2-yearly check follows section 4 of AS/NZS 3019, and renters must be told the date of the last one before signing. Repairs it turns up go to a Registered Electrical Contractor or a licensed electrician who works for one.
Safety switches in older flats. Since 29 March 2023, power and lighting circuits in a Victorian rental must be on circuit breakers and safety switches (RCDs, which cut the power in a split second if current leaks to earth). A flat with a fuse board may need a full switchboard replacement.
Charging without a garage. Street parkers can use CitiPower's kerbside chargers. In a block with a car park, a charger usually means a new circuit from a shared board, so talk to the owners corporation first.
Fittings after a storm. Flash flooding reaches ground floor flats, garages and outdoor power points, and anything that's been wet needs checking before it goes back on.
If water has got into a flat or a fitting
Keep away from anything wet that's still connected. If you can reach the main switch without standing in water, switch off there. Don't turn anything back on until a licensed electrician has checked it, and call the SES on 132 500 for storm damage.
If we owned a Hawthorn rental
We'd book the electrical check between tenancies rather than waiting for the 2 years to run out, and ask the electrician to note anything that stops the place meeting the switchboard standard. Fixing a fuse board in an empty flat is a lot simpler than doing it as an urgent repair with someone living there.
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.