What shapes electrical work in Medowie
Built mostly since the 1980s
The 1980s boom turned a rural town into a suburb of 10,879 people by 2021, and it's home to many of the personnel from nearby RAAF Base Williamtown.
Owners with mortgages
At the 2021 Census, 46.5% of homes were owned with a mortgage and 22.0% were rented. The median age was 37.
Fire close by
The Salt Ash fire of 13 October 2013 was started by powerlines arcing in high winds and destroyed four houses. In November 2018 the Campvale and Salt Ash fire burnt 1969 hectares.
On Ausgrid
Medowie is in the Port Stephens part of Ausgrid's network. Faults: 13 13 88.
Jobs that come up in Medowie
Solar, and what changes from November. Ausgrid's emergency backstop rules phase in from 23 November 2026 for new and upgraded systems. Your inverter has to talk to the network over the internet, and a home without reliable internet is held to a 1.5 kW export limit.
EV chargers. Ausgrid says you may need to notify it, depending on the installation, and if the supply to the house needs upgrading the electrician lodges a connection application. A Level 2 home charger and a switchboard upgrade are both on the approved list for a NSW Home Energy Saver loan.
A boom-era switchboard. Boards from early in the boom may still sit on a dark backing panel, and NSW says bituminous boards made before 1987 can contain asbestos. Later boards are usually sound but may not have room for solar, a charger and air conditioning together.
Bush blocks and power lines
If the line from the street to your house runs on your own pole, it's yours to look after. Ausgrid patrols private poles and lines in bushfire prone areas, and if it issues a defect notice you have 30 days to respond. Repairs are work for a Level 2 Accredited Service Provider.
If it were our Medowie house
Before adding solar or a charger, we'd get an electrician to check the switchboard has room and the supply can carry it all. One plan for the board, the solar and the car beats three separate jobs that each add a little.
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.