Cheltenham at a glance
Two councils
Wikipedia says the area east of the railway, and Charman Road north, is in the City of Kingston, while the west, towards the golf links, parks and Port Phillip Bay, is in the City of Bayside.
Built after the war
Much residential development came in the second half of the 1940s. Victorian Places says the 1950s and 1960s filled Cheltenham's market gardens with housing and factories, and Cheltenham North came last.
Houses and townhouses
At the 2021 Census, 58.5% of the 9,463 occupied homes were separate houses, 22.7% townhouses or semi-detached and 18.5% flats or apartments. 42.7% had three bedrooms.
Heritage, case by case
Kingston has more than 120 significant places in its Heritage Overlay and says affected owners may need a permit for works. Bayside, on the western side, has more than 1,500 properties in its overlay.
What comes up in Cheltenham
An old gas space heater as the main heat. Energy Safe Victoria says open-flued heaters can spill carbon monoxide more easily than other types. Since 1 August 2022, new and second-hand open-flued gas heaters that can't shut down automatically can't be sold in Victoria. Our wall furnaces and space heaters page covers servicing and replacement.
Reverse cycle in place of an electric or gas room heater. Solar Victoria says a reverse cycle air conditioner costs about a third as much to run as an electric heater in the same space, and it cools in summer too. A split in the living area is a simple first step. See reverse cycle in Melbourne.
Ducted for the bigger houses. 22.7% of homes had four or more bedrooms. For those, compare gas ducted with ducted reverse cycle; our Melbourne ducted heating page compares them.
What we'd do
Our take for Cheltenham
If an old gas space heater is your main heat, have a qualified gasfitter check it before winter, and start thinking about what replaces it. In a three-bedroom house, a reverse cycle split in the living area, then one in the main bedroom, is a sensible way to begin. Before any outdoor work near the street, check which council your property falls under.
