Doreen in a few facts
Built almost from scratch
Doreen wasn't even on the State electricity grid until 1959. In 1999 investors created the 2500 lot Laurimar subdivision west of Yan Yean Road, and land south of Bridge Inn Road has since been subdivided too.
Two councils, two landscapes
The western side, in the City of Whittlesea, is suburban housing. The eastern side, in Nillumbik Shire, stays rural and sits in Melbourne's green wedge.
Young households
At the 2021 Census, 94.6% of occupied homes were separate houses and 58.3% were owned with a mortgage. 21.3% were rented.
Getting hotter
The City of Whittlesea says climate change means Whittlesea is becoming hotter and drier, with prolonged periods of above average temperatures.
Grassfire edge
Whittlesea also says people on the urban fringe, especially in newer developments, may be near grasslands, parks or paddocks, which makes them more vulnerable to grassfires.
The jobs that come up in Doreen
Servicing a young system. Many Doreen systems are still inside their warranty. Some brands make servicing a condition: ActronAir's warranty sets residential maintenance at once every 12 months. Read your warranty card before you skip a year, and see our warranties guide.
Adding cooling. A house that came with gas ducted heating can take a split in the hottest room, add-on cooling if the heater is compatible, or ducted reverse cycle. On the northern fringe, the hot rooms are the first to ask about.
New builds and knock-downs. From 1 January 2027 every new Victorian home is built all electric, and connecting gas to a new building is banned. In a new Doreen house, ducted reverse cycle or a multi-split is likely to do the heating as well as the cooling.
Licence-checked installers around Doreen who do this kind of work see your job, and only the one who takes it gets your details. After 48 hours with nobody near Doreen taking it, installers elsewhere in Victoria may see it too.
What we'd do
If we were building in Doreen
For a 2027 build, we'd plan the heating and cooling with the builder before the frame goes up, so ducts, outdoor unit spots and circuits are designed in. In an existing house, we'd keep the system serviced to its warranty terms and add cooling to the rooms that cook first. Keep the outdoor unit clear of dry grass in summer.
