Short answer: if you own an older or heritage-listed home in Geelong, start with a feature and level survey before any design work, and add a re-establishment survey if you are building near a boundary or are unsure where the boundary is. Older blocks often have aged fences, shared walls and title plans drawn up long ago, so accurate survey information saves time and avoids disputes. In Victoria, only a licensed land surveyor can determine title boundaries under the Surveying Act 2004.
Geelong has some of Victoria’s most loved older streets. Suburbs such as Newtown, Geelong West, Herne Hill, Manifold Heights and central Geelong, plus coastal towns like Queenscliff, are full of Victorian, Edwardian and interwar homes. Many of these properties sit within a Heritage Overlay, and almost all of them have a long history of fences, extensions and changes. This guide explains the surveys that older and heritage homes usually need, the issues that come up most often, and how to get your project started on solid information.
Why older and heritage homes need careful surveying
Newer estates generally have recent survey marks and modern plans. Older properties are different. The original subdivision may date back many decades, and measurements on early plans were often recorded in imperial units such as chains, links and feet. Survey marks may have been disturbed, and fences have usually been replaced several times. Over the years, owners may have added verandahs, sheds, garages and rear extensions, sometimes right on or close to the boundary.
None of this means there is a problem with your property, but it does mean you should not assume that the fence line, the old shed or the neighbour’s wall marks the boundary. A licensed land surveyor researches the title and plans, finds the evidence on the ground and works out where the boundary actually sits.
Surveys most heritage projects need
Feature and level survey
A feature and level survey records the existing house, outbuildings, fences, trees, driveways, visible services and ground levels, along with key features of neighbouring buildings such as windows and walls near the boundary. For a heritage home, this is the base your architect or building designer uses to plan a sympathetic extension or restoration. It can also help show how a proposal relates to the existing streetscape. See our feature and level survey page for what is included.
Re-establishment (boundary) survey
A re-establishment survey finds your title boundaries on the ground and marks them. It is the right step before replacing an old fence, building a garage on the boundary, or extending towards a neighbour. It is also useful when a fence and a title do not seem to match. Learn more about our re-establishment survey service and why title re-establishment surveys matter.
Building set-out
Once plans are approved, a set-out survey marks where new footings or walls go, so the extension is built in the approved position and setbacks are respected. On tight inner-suburban blocks, where there is little room for error, this is especially valuable. Read about our building set-out service.
Common issues on older Geelong blocks
Every property is different, so treat this as a general checklist rather than advice for your particular land:
- Fences not on the boundary: long-standing fences can sit off the title line. Where land has been occupied for a long time, questions about adverse possession can arise. Our article on adverse possession surveys explains the basics, and a lawyer can advise on the legal side.
- Shared and party walls: terraces and semi-detached homes often share a wall with the neighbour. A survey shows how the boundary relates to the wall before you alter or rebuild near it.
- Buildings close to or over the boundary: old sheds, garages, eaves and gutters sometimes sit on or over the line. Knowing this early helps your designer and building surveyor plan around it.
- Narrow lots and rear lanes: many older streets have narrow frontages and rear laneways, which affect access, parking and where an extension can go.
- Easements and old drains: sewerage and drainage easements may be recorded on the title, and older service lines can run under backyards.
- Trees and levels: mature trees and uneven ground are common on established blocks and can shape the design.
Heritage Overlays and planning permits
A Heritage Overlay is a planning control in the local planning scheme. In much of Geelong this is the Greater Geelong Planning Scheme, while Queenscliff falls under the Borough of Queenscliffe. If your property is covered, a planning permit is often needed for works such as demolition, external alterations or a new building, and the council will consider how the proposal affects the heritage place. Properties on the Victorian Heritage Register have separate requirements managed by Heritage Victoria.
You can check which overlays apply with a planning property report from VicPlan, and your town planner or the council can confirm what your project needs. As land surveyors, our role is to provide the accurate site and boundary information that your planner, architect and the council rely on. Our guide to surveys for planning permits in Geelong covers this in more detail.
How the process works
- Tell us about the project. Send the address, what you are planning and whether you know of a Heritage Overlay.
- We confirm the right survey. We review the title and plans and recommend the survey type, so you get what your designer and council need.
- Field work. A surveyor visits to measure the boundaries, marks, buildings, features and levels.
- Calculations and plans. The office checks the measurements against the title information and prepares your plan or boundary marks.
- Delivery. You and your consultants receive the plan in the format they need, and we explain anything unclear.
Tips before you book
- Have your title and any old plans or past surveys handy if you have them. We can obtain the title documents if needed.
- Tell us who will use the survey, such as your architect, heritage consultant or builder, so the plan suits them.
- Survey early, before design work starts, so the design is based on real dimensions rather than old drawings.
- If a shared wall or fence is involved, let your neighbour know a surveyor will be on site.
Areas we cover
From our Batesford office we survey older and heritage homes across Geelong, including Newtown, Geelong West, Herne Hill, Manifold Heights and Belmont, as well as Queenscliff, the Bellarine, the Surf Coast and Ballarat. If you are planning an extension, our guide to home extension surveys in Geelong is a good next read.
Planning work on an older or heritage home? Request a quote online or call 0412 722 261 and tell us about your property and project.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a land survey before renovating a heritage home in Geelong?
Usually, yes. Most designers need a feature and level survey of the existing house and site before they can prepare drawings, and works close to a boundary often need the title boundaries confirmed with a re-establishment survey first.
Is the fence on my old Newtown or Geelong West block the real boundary?
Not always. Fences on older blocks were often built long ago and may have been replaced or moved over time. Only a licensed land surveyor can re-establish the title boundary and show how the fence relates to it.
Does a Heritage Overlay change what survey I need?
The overlay mainly affects the planning permit, not the type of survey. However, heritage applications often call for detailed existing-conditions information, such as building outlines, heights, levels and neighbouring buildings, so tell us about the overlay when you book.
Can a land surveyor help with a shared wall on a terrace or semi-detached house?
Yes. A survey can show where the title boundary runs in relation to a shared wall and record the existing building, which helps owners, designers and lawyers understand the situation before any work starts.
How do I get a quote for a heritage home survey?
Send the address, what you are planning and whether the property has a Heritage Overlay through our contact page, or call 0412 722 261, and we will recommend the survey that suits.