Termite Inspections in Australia: AS 3660 Management and What Buyers Should Know

The AS 3660 series of Australian Standards covers termite management. AS 3660.1 deals with new construction, AS 3660.2 with existing buildings, and AS 3660.3 sets the assessment criteria for products and systems. Together they define the technical baseline for protecting Australian buildings from subterranean termite attack.

New buildings should have a documented termite management system installed at construction, comprising either a physical barrier (such as Termimesh, Kordon, or stainless steel mesh) or a chemical soil treatment, with a certificate of installation that the homeowner should retain. The installation usually carries a manufacturer warranty conditional on annual inspection.

For existing buildings, the convention is annual inspection by a licensed timber pest inspector, written to AS 3660.2 and (for pre-purchase context) AS 4349.3. The inspector looks for evidence of activity, conducive conditions, and any damage to accessible timbers. A pre-purchase report typically combines this with a building inspection (AS 4349.1).

Mastotermes darwiniensis is the most destructive termite species in the world and is endemic to northern Australia, particularly the NT and northern WA. In tropical regions, termite pressure is year-round, and the consequences of an active infestation can be severe within months.

Annual inspections are not legal requirements in most states but are universally recommended and often a condition of warranty.