Northcote, for anyone booking a plumber
Terraces, units and renters
At the 2021 Census, 27.4% of occupied homes in the suburb were semis, terraces or townhouses, against 13.9% for Victoria. 22.8% were flats or apartments, and 37.5% of homes were rented.
Runoff heads downhill
VICSES says rainwater here runs off towards low-lying areas, and in heavy rain the runoff can overflow stormwater drains and cause flash flooding.
Significant trees
Darebin's local law protects trees with a trunk circumference over 100 cm at 1.5 m above ground that are taller than 8 m.
Water hardness
Northcote is Yarra Valley Water's sampling area 10. Mean hardness in 2025-26 was 22 mg/L, against a guideline of 200 mg/L.
Flash floods near the creek
Intense, short storms are what overwhelm Northcote's drains. In 2003, 100 millimetres fell in two hours and the local SES unit had around 680 requests for help. Darebin has upgraded drainage in many problem areas since 2003 and has built raingardens, trees over drains and porous paving, but rain heavier than 30 millimetres an hour can still beat the system.
If water gets onto your property in a storm, note where it comes in. Water from the street is a Council matter. Water backing up out of your own downpipes or yard pit points to your private line, which a stormwater plumber can check.
Roots, and Darebin's tree rules
Want a tree gone because its roots are in the drain? Under Darebin's local law, removing a significant tree needs a permit, and to support removal for damage Council asks for a report from a licensed or suitably qualified person, such as a plumber or structural engineer.
Since 15 September 2025, Clause 52.37 can require a planning permit for a canopy tree instead, and then no local law permit is needed. A tree roots specialist can clear the line and record what they found.
Renters and hot water
Under Victoria's rental standards, from 1 March 2027 a rental hot water system that permanently fails and can't be repaired has to be replaced with an efficient heat pump water heater or an electric-boosted solar water heater. The exemptions include heritage or owners corporation restrictions, which can matter in an older terrace or a block of units.
Yarra Valley Water owns the meter, and the pipes on the house side of it belong to the owner. Its two published pages place the sewer boundary differently, so confirm it with Yarra Valley Water for your address.
What we would do
Before agreeing to take out a tree over a blocked drain, have the drain inspected and ask the plumber for a written note of the damage. Darebin asks for that kind of evidence anyway, and it tells you whether clearing or relining the pipe would solve the problem without losing the tree. Then send us the job, and only the plumber who takes it receives your details.