Victoria Park's houses and power
Gold rush streets
Settlement began in 1886 and subdivision in 1887. The South Western Railway opened in 1893, the tram came in 1905, and by 1917 about 5,000 people lived here. Townhouses have since replaced some of the original homes.
Renters are the majority
At the 2021 Census, 52.6% of occupied homes were rented. 38.4% were separate houses, 36.7% townhouses or semi-detached, and 24.6% flats.
Underground in most streets
Victoria Park South went underground in Round Three of the state program, and Victoria Park East and West in Round Six. Remaining overhead areas with Burswood are in the Burswood 53 project, with construction tentatively from July 2027 to July 2028.
Heritage-listed places
Building or demolition work on places on the Town's Local Heritage List generally needs development approval, though some minor works are exempt.
If you rent: what you can ask for
Every WA rental must have at least two RCDs (safety switches) protecting all the lighting and power circuits. If yours doesn't, ask the landlord in writing. If nothing happens, you can send Building and Energy that request, a copy of your lease and a photo of the switchboard, and it may inspect and order the owner to act.
If you get a shock or even a tingle from a tap or an appliance, report it to Western Power straight away, then the landlord. Western Power wants every shock on its network reported, however minor.
Plug-in appliances you own and battery changes are fine to deal with yourself. Anything fixed to the wall or ceiling isn't: power points, light fittings, the switchboard and mains-powered smoke alarms are licensed work.
If you own: what you have to fix
A landlord has a duty under WA's electrical and gas safety laws to keep a rental safe for tenants and visitors. When a fault is in the wiring or a fixed appliance, the landlord must engage a licensed electrical contractor.
Smoke alarms must be working, mains-connected and no more than 10 years old before a new tenancy starts. In a cottage from the 1890s or 1900s, that can mean running new cable to a hallway ceiling, which is routine work for an electrician used to older houses.
Our take for Victoria Park
If you own a rental here, we'd get the board, the safety switches and the smoke alarms checked between tenancies, every time. If you're renting and something's wrong, we'd put it in writing to the landlord on the same day, and call Western Power first if anyone got a shock.
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.