Termites in the Dandenong Ranges and foothills
Yarra Ranges is a designated termite area from end to end, and so are its neighbours where we could confirm it. New building work in the shire has to be protected against them.
We connect you with a local pest controller who works in the hills.
Ask for a quoteSherbrooke Forest. Photo: Haworthia Ihlathi, CC BY-SA 4.0
Termites and new building work
Under the Building Regulations, a council may designate areas of its district where buildings are likely to be attacked by termites. Until 1 May 2026 the regulations required termite protection only in a designated area. That limit is gone. A detached Class 10 building, such as a shed, garage or carport, still need not be protected. For other new building work, your building surveyor says what protection the building code needs.
- Yarra Ranges
- The whole shire is designated. The council says all building work must be protected, apart from garages, carports and outbuildings nobody lives in.
- Maroondah
- The whole city, since 14 April 2005.
- Knox
- The owner signs a termite statement, choosing a protection method, before a building permit is issued. We found no page that says whether Knox is designated in whole or in part.
- Cardinia
- "Termite prone" is recorded property by property, on a property information certificate from the council.
Checked 25 October 2026 against Building Regulations 2018 (Vic), regs 150 and 151 (authorised version 031), Building and Plumbing Amendment Regulations 2026 (Vic), S.R. No. 38/2026, reg 12, Yarra Ranges Council: termites, Maroondah City Council: termite protection, Knox City Council: termite statement checklist and Cardinia Shire Council: building and property applications.
The two standards
- AS 3660.1
- The design and construction of subterranean termite management systems for new buildings.
- AS 4349.3
- Timber pest inspections: mostly non-invasive, by a suitably qualified inspector, with limited invasive inspection.
Both are marked by Standards Australia as pending revision.
Checked 25 October 2026 against Standards Australia: AS 3660.1:2014 and Standards Australia: AS 4349.3-2010.
The licence for termite work
Termite treatment needs a pest control licence carrying the general authorisation that includes timber pests. A licence without it doesn't cover termites. Checking a licence says how.
Checked 25 October 2026 against Department of Health: pest control licence applications.
Asking for a quote
Say what you've seen and where: mud tubes up a stump or a wall, timber that sounds hollow, or winged swarmers inside. Say how old the house is and whether it sits on stumps or a slab, and whether you're buying it. It's best to leave mud tubes and any termites you find alone until someone has looked.
Ask for a quote
Tell us where you are and what needs doing, and we'll contact you as soon as possible.