Ocean Grove facts for a plumbing job
One in five empty on Census night
At the 2021 Census, 21.0% of Ocean Grove's private dwellings were unoccupied, against 11.1% across Victoria. Of the occupied homes, 93.4% were separate houses and 41.1% were owned outright.
Older streets, busy drains
Council's Ocean Grove Structure Plan says drainage in the established residential areas is under pressure, with continued pressure in the older parts of town.
Low ground to the south and west
The same plan calls flooding an issue in the low-lying areas to the south and west, and says some areas were already designated flood prone under the Building Regulations 2006.
The Barwon River edge
Council expects future sea level rise and storm surges to affect the low-lying land along the Barwon River waterfront.
When the house sits empty
A leak in an empty house can run for weeks before anyone notices. Turn the water off at the meter when you leave.
When you return, turn it back on with every tap closed and watch the meter. If the dial keeps moving, or a bill jumps, a leak detection specialist can trace where the water is going. See leak detection in Geelong and our page on high water bills.
Drains in the older part of town
Your roof, gutters, downpipes, pits and buried stormwater pipes are a private system, and you look after it up to and including the legal point of discharge. Council doesn't hold plans of private pipes and recommends a licensed plumber for drainage problems on private land.
Tree roots are the City's biggest cause of pipe damage, in its own pipes and private ones. If a pit overflows or a pipe keeps blocking, have a drain camera find the cause before anyone digs.
Building or renovating on low ground
Council gives flood advice and consents for stormwater flooding, including land in the Special Building Overlay. The Corangamite Catchment Management Authority advises on river and coastal flooding, which covers the Barwon River side of town. Ask before you build or extend on low-lying land.
Hot water in a holiday house
From 1 March 2027, Victoria's gas hot water rule applies when a system reaches end of life; until then a gas unit can be repaired. Check current rules before replacing one. The Solar Homes rebate needs you to be the owner-occupier of the home where the system goes in. More on our Geelong hot water page.
What we would do
If you only use the house some weekends, make turning off the water at the meter part of locking up, and ask a neighbour to report anything odd. In the older streets, have gutters, downpipes and pits cleared before winter, since Council's own plan says the drainage there is already under pressure.