Drains in Para Hills

Para Hills

Big blocks on the escarpment

Para Hills began in 1959, when a developer bought 430 acres for what was then the largest private housing development in Australia. The first concrete foundation was poured in February 1960. Blocks were at least 697 square metres, every house had three or more bedrooms, and walls were brick, concrete block or Mount Gambier stone. The estate climbs the Para escarpment, 61 metres above the plains, cut by short, steep gullies kept as parks. In 2021, 97.2% of homes were separate houses.

Big blocks mean long drain runs from the house to the sewer, and the gardens above them have had more than 60 years to grow. New residents were even given six plants to start a garden. Roots find the joints in old earthenware lines, and Adelaide's reactive clay opens them further. With three in four homes owner-occupied, most people here want the cause found and fixed properly, and that is how we work.

• On a long run, the sewer inspection opening can sit well away from the house. Find it before you need it, and keep it clear of pavers and plants.
• Plant big trees well clear of the sewer line. Their roots travel to the joints of an old earthenware pipe.
• Homes near the gully reserves collect leaves in gutters and stormwater pits. Clear them before the winter rain.