What to check first, by type of home
| Post-war houses | Newer houses | Units and townhouses | |
|---|---|---|---|
| The board | Often original, sometimes with ceramic fuses and a dark backing board | Varies, so count the safety switches | Your own board inside, meters in a shared room |
| First question | Is there asbestos, and are there safety switches? | Is there room for the load you want to add? | What does strata need to approve? |
| Common jobs | Switchboard upgrades, more power points | Aircon circuits, solar, chargers | Lighting, faults, chargers with approval |
Sutherland Shire facts that matter
Ausgrid, with one exception
Postcode 2233 shows both Ausgrid and Endeavour Energy on Ausgrid's checker, so check your bill there. Elsewhere, faults go to Ausgrid on 13 13 88.
Housing mix
At the 2021 Census, 60.8% of Shire homes were separate houses, 13.9% townhouses or semis and 24.8% flats. 22.3% were rented.
A post-war start
The Housing Commission bought land for returned servicemen's homes after the Second World War, and the Shire became suburban in the early 1950s. Menai's urban release began in the 1970s.
Fire and wind
The January 1994 bushfires destroyed parts of Como West, Jannali and Bonnet Bay. The 2015 Kurnell tornado tore through Ausgrid's Kurnell South zone substation and left 800 homes and businesses without power.
Denser near stations
In Sutherland itself, single houses have been redeveloped into townhouses and flats since the 1990s.
Find your suburb
Cronulla and Miranda have their own pages, and so do Caringbah, Gymea, Engadine and Menai. Each goes deeper on the homes and jobs there.
The Shire has 12 Rural Fire Service stations because of its national park and bushland. If your home backs onto bush, a private pole or overhead line on your land is your responsibility, and Ausgrid patrols them in bushfire prone areas. Private power poles explains what that means.
Our take for the Shire
Match the job to the age of the house. In a 1950s home, start with the board and an asbestos check. In a newer one, go straight to the load you're adding and whether the board has room for it.
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.