I don’t think there is any doubt that this next intruder is the one intruder that really turns my wife’s stomach. She can’t stand them! A lot of people can’t stand them.
We’ve not had too many actually in the home, my best guess would be about six to eight in the 18 months we’ve been here so far. They are not very photogenic and as so many of you can’t stand these things, for you, here’s a picture of a cute koala.

A Cute Koala
For the rest of you who can stomach it
Yes, cockroaches! The only good cockroach is a dead cockroach…..
It is worth noting at this stage that to protect your home from these critters, it is normal to have an annual visit from a pest control company.
They will send someone round who will spend an hour or so circumnavigating your house, with a mask on and spray in hand, treating your walls, your crevasses, out houses and garages. He will also come into the house and treat the doorways, the floorways and your kitchen spaces.
That protection generally cost between $200 and $300 and will last for about one year. This doesn’t prevent the little critters getting into your house, but those that do make it inside are usually dead within an hour or two, just like him above. He was found face up in my garage and photographed for your visual delight.
But the spraying really does work and it’s all safe for pets and children.
Personally, and in this house, we haven’t had too much of a problem. But I am sure elsewhere they can be quite troublesome. I remember travelling from Brisbane to Sydney during a holiday here a few years ago and stopping overnight at the halfway point in Coffs Harbour. We stayed at a very pleasant holiday park but the pathway outside our door was rampant with cockroaches. Not very pleasant. So I guess it just depends where you live.
They say that cockroaches would survive a nuclear blast. That may be true. But strangely, they do not fare well against the underside of my boot. Go in peace.
Hi Bob. It’s me again. I need a little help. I am researching about Newcastle.
I cannot find this particular info over the internet. Doesn’t look convincing.
In the posts about the ten cities (those mentioned in the drop down menu on the home page), you have mentioned the parts of the city it is broken down into, such as Inner Canberra, North Canberra, East Canberra and South Canberra.
Can you provide me with info pertaining to such a division of Newcastle? It would be really helpful. Thanks 🙂
This is everything I know about Newcastle. Maybe you should ask your question there or on my page about New South Wales and hopefully someone who knows the town well will help you out.
Good luck, Bob
Hi Bob. My name is Manju and I am from India.
I have been reading your blog since a couple of weeks now. Trying to see the other side of the world through your lenses. It’s been fun reading so much about Australia.
Last year, a new family moved in here in the adjoining flat beside ours. I don’t know from where they brought so many roaches. Within a week our home too was infested with tiny roaches. This was the first time we had to get the pest control exercise done. It costed just 500 INR (around 9 USD). They didn’t use sprays. They used a herbal red color gel. They put tiny dots of this gel at several places throughout our home. And viola! Next day I found the entire battalion of cockroaches dead on the floor. Now we got no ant or lizards. Lizards freak me out!
And this cracked me up! –> They say that cockroaches would survive a nuclear blast. That may be true. But strangely, they do not fare well against the underside of my boot. Go in peace.
I love the cute Koalas. They have such pretty big eyes. Feel like kissing there furry cheeks. :p
I really love the hint of humor in your write-ups. Thanks for such a lovely blog to read.
Well, your pest control treatment worked out a lot cheaper than my pest control treatment, here in Australia it costs closer to $200 US. Your treatment may well be quite different from our treatment, but the end result appears to be the same, dead cockroaches on the floor 🙂
Which is what we want, isn’t it?
I hope you also got your pest control guy to pop next door otherwise those roaches will surely be back.
And no, they don’t like the underside of your boots, but sometimes the problem is getting to them before they disappear under the fridge.
Glad to hear you’ve been enjoying my blog, I hope you continue reading for a while yet.
Cheers, Bob