What shapes a Melton job
A satellite town that kept growing
Victorian Places says Melton quadrupled from 4491 people in 1971 to 18,055 in 1981, when it was seen as a satellite town, and has kept growing since, spawning suburbs of its own. It says the landscape is dominated by new brick housing.
Three-bedroom houses, many rented
At the 2021 Census, 83.3% of homes in the Melton suburb were separate houses and 63.2% had three bedrooms. 34.4% were rented, 32.5% owned outright and 29.6% owned with a mortgage.
Drier than Melbourne
Melton averages 486.6 mm of rain a year, less than Melbourne, because it sits in the rain shadow of the Otway Ranges. The town is on open basalt plains at 156 m, 37 km west of the city.
Growth is moving outwards
Wikipedia says the Melton suburb itself is expected to grow only 2% by 2051, with growth mainly in places like Aintree and Brookfield. Homes built there from 1 January 2027 must be all electric.
Renting out a Melton house?
With a third of homes rented, the rental standards matter here. From 1 March 2027, a new rental agreement needs an energy efficient fixed cooler in the main living area, and from 1 July 2030 every rental does. If the main heater dies and can't be fixed after 1 March 2027, its replacement must be efficient electric. A gas heater in good order can stay.
Ducted evaporative is common in Victoria: 23% of home owners in a 2021 Victorian Government survey of gas areas had it. Consumer Affairs Victoria says a failed ducted evaporative cooler in a rental can be replaced with another one that has an outlet in the main living area, or upgraded to a compliant cooler. One efficient reverse cycle unit in the living area can cover both the heating and cooling standards if it meets the required ratings.
Evaporative or reverse cycle on the plains?
Seeley says evaporative cooling does best in hot, dry weather and struggles on humid days. Lower rainfall doesn't tell you the summer humidity, so don't pick evaporative on that alone. If you want one system for winter and summer, reverse cycle does both. If you've got gas heating and an evaporative cooler that work, service them and keep going.
What we'd do
What we'd do in Melton
Landlords: plan the living area cooler now rather than at the next lease in 2027, and pick a reverse cycle unit that meets both standards. Owners: if the gas heater runs well, get it serviced and leave it. If it's failing, compare like-for-like gas with ducted reverse cycle while it still works.
Getting a Melton job to the right installer
Tell us the job and your postcode. Licence-checked installers near Melton who do that sort of work can see it, and your details go only to the one who takes it. If nobody near Melton has taken it by the 48-hour mark, installers elsewhere in Victoria may see it.
