Bundoora's climate and homes
The north-east runs warm
Viewbank's January mean maximum of 28.2 degrees is the highest of the Melbourne stations in the Bureau tables, against 26.6 at Olympic Park and 25.0 at Mornington on the southern coast.
Post-war blocks, 1960s boom
Victorian Places says building blocks opened after World War II and drew many new immigrants, but the big growth came after the Progress Association formed in 1960. La Trobe University opened in 1967.
Old hospital land, new houses
Most of the former Janefield Colony land was sold for housing, and the old repatriation and psychiatric hospital sites were redeveloped with houses too.
Mostly houses
At the 2021 Census, 76.1% of the 10,014 occupied homes were separate houses and 44.1% had three bedrooms. 27.6% were rented.
Three councils
Bundoora spans the Cities of Banyule, Darebin and Whittlesea, so the council you'd ask about a permit depends on your street.
Why heating and cooling together suits Bundoora
A house with heating-only gas ducted and no cooling has a long January here. Ducted reverse cycle does both through one set of vents. Gas warms a house fast, the ACT Government says, yet reverse cycle runs for much less. See ducted air conditioning in Melbourne.
If the gas heater is young and working, add-on cooling can use the same ducts on a compatible model. For one hot room, a split may be enough.
Size for the hot days as well as the cold nights. ActronAir says an air conditioner loses cooling capacity above 35 degrees, so a unit sized right on the edge has nothing spare on a hot afternoon in the north-east.
What about evaporative?
Seeley says evaporative cooling performs best in hot, dry climates and struggles on humid days. It cools only, so you'd still need heating for winter. Our evaporative vs refrigerated guide compares the two, and you're welcome to send us the job either way.
What we'd do
Where we'd start in Bundoora
If you've got gas ducted heating and no cooling, get two quotes: add-on cooling for your heater, and ducted reverse cycle to replace it. Ask each installer how their system copes on a 35-degree day as well as a cold July night, and pick the one that answers both.
