What shapes a Hastings roof
Storm nights
Hastings SES logged 190 calls in the 24 hours of the 9 June 2021 storm and had 176 jobs in the 1 to 3 September 2024 storm. Fallen trees were behind much of the work both times.
Built with industry
Lysaght, BHP and Cresco began industrial developments at Long Island, a BP refinery opened at Crib Point in 1966, and the Lysaght works became BlueScope Steel in 2002. Much of the town's housing came in the 1960s and 1970s, with a rush of subdivisions well beyond demand.
Mudflats and mangroves
Hastings sits on a crescent-shaped bay off Western Port. It has one small beach, and most of its shoreline is mudflat with mangroves, the most southerly in the world.
Western Port salt: only the eastern shore is named
BlueScope's salt table lists the eastern shoreline of Westernport Bay as exposed marine, but doesn't name Hastings on the western shore. It calls the table a guide only, so ask the roofer to confirm.
Mostly houses
At the 2021 Census, 72.8% of occupied dwellings were separate houses and 24.7% semi-detached or townhouses.
If a storm has damaged your roof
Stay safe inside
Keep out of any room with a sagging ceiling. Where water is getting close to light fittings, turn the power off at the switchboard.
Call the SES for emergencies
For a tree on the house or an open roof in a storm, call the SES on 132 500.
Photograph everything
Take photos of damage inside and out, from the ground, before anything is moved. Your insurer will want them.
Get a roofer to make it safe
A roofer can tarp or temporarily seal the roof, then quote the proper repair. Our guide to storm damage claims explains the insurance side.
The other jobs in Hastings
1960s and 1970s roofs. Concrete tiles only arrived in the late 1960s, so a Hastings roof from that boom could be iron, terracotta or early concrete tile. EPA Victoria says homes built before 1990 are likely to contain some asbestos, so have eaves and any cement sheeting tested before work starts.
Replace or restore. If the tiles or sheets are worn out across the whole roof, a new roof can beat repeated repairs. See re-roofing in Melbourne.
Trees over the roof. Branches overhanging the house are the ones that cause damage in a blow, and they fill the gutters in between. VICSES suggests trimming trees that could fall onto your home, which is a job for an arborist.
Our take for Hastings
Before winter, we'd get overhanging branches cut back and the gutters cleared, then have a roofer check ridge caps and flashings that a strong gust could lift. On a 1970s house, we'd test for asbestos before any bigger job. For new metal near the water, we'd ask the roofer to confirm which steel suits your spot on Western Port.
Want a roofer to take a look?
Tell us the job and your postcode. We match it with a Find My Roofer certified roofer who specialises in that kind of work, and they call you to quote. Your number goes to them alone.
