What's different about Healesville
Bushfire history
The Black Friday fire of January 1939 burnt extensively around Healesville. On Black Saturday in 2009, fire burned east of the town before the threat to property around Healesville was downgraded on 10 February.
Powerlines rebuilt for fire safety
From late 2016 AusNet replaced and relocated about 15 kilometres of high voltage lines in parts of Healesville and Badger Creek, swapping bare wire for insulated underground, overhead or spacer cable because of the region's bushfire risk.
Older buildings
The town was surveyed in 1864. Gracedale House, a 60-room guest house, went up in 1889, and the former railway station (1902) and court house (1890) are heritage listed.
Homes that sit empty
8.9% of Healesville's 3,333 private dwellings were unoccupied on census night in 2021. 89.3% of homes were separate houses and 17.3% were rented.
Jobs that come up in Healesville
Inspections of older homes and guest houses. Buildings this old have often been altered many times. A periodic inspection shows what's original, what's been added, and what needs fixing first.
Holiday homes and short stays. A house that sits empty needs working smoke alarms and safety switches more than most, because nobody's there to notice a fault. Fire Rescue Victoria advises replacing smoke alarms every ten years.
After wild weather. Branches on service lines, water in outdoor fittings and appliances damaged when the power drops in and out are the kinds of faults that follow storms in hill towns.
What you can do, and what's for the sparky
You can
- Press the test button on every smoke alarm, and change batteries in battery models.
- Test your safety switches with their test buttons every few months.
- Unplug sensitive electronics when severe storms are forecast.
- Report fallen or sparking lines to AusNet on 13 17 99 and keep well away.
Leave to a licensed electrician
- Any work inside the switchboard or meter box.
- Hardwired smoke alarms and interconnecting them.
- Repairs to wiring, power points and outdoor lights after storm or water damage.
- An inspection before you rent the house out or list it as a short stay.
Where we'd start in Healesville
Before summer, we'd book an inspection that covers the switchboard, every safety switch and the smoke alarms. In a town with this fire history, knowing the house is sound before the hot months matters more than any upgrade.
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.