Updated November 2026
Carrum Downs is a family suburb in the north of the city, where EastLink ends. Its housing grew from the late 1970s with estates such as Botany Park, followed by Botany Bush in the 1990s, and it was part of the City of Cranbourne until the 1994 merger. At the 2021 Census about 79% of homes were separate houses and nearly half were being paid off with a mortgage. Frankston Blocked Drains is a free referral service connecting you with licensed drain plumbers who cover Carrum Downs and the 3201 area. We are not a plumbing business, and the referral costs you nothing.
Roots in a 40-year-old garden
A house built around 1980 has had four decades for its garden to grow. Trees planted close to the drain line when the house was new are now big enough for their roots to find any weak joint. Slow drains that gradually worsen, or a sewer that blocks again a few months after a clear, are the classic signs. A camera inspection shows where the roots are getting in. See tree roots in drains.
Stormwater on family blocks
Family homes on larger lots have long stormwater runs from the roof to the street, past paving, pools and garden beds. Leaves and soil build up in pits, and roots can enter stormwater lines as easily as sewer lines. If downpipes back up in heavy rain, the stormwater line is worth a jet and a camera. Your property's drainage links to Frankston City Council's network at a stormwater discharge point, which the council can locate on request. See blocked stormwater.
Your pipe or South East Water's
South East Water maintains the sewer up to the connection point with your property, often near the boundary, and the pipes upstream of it are the owner's. If the camera shows the fault is in their main, report it to them.
What it typically costs
As a guide, a standard clear typically runs $150 to $400, tree root clearing $250 to $600, and a camera with jet blasting $350 to $900. Quotes vary, the plumber's written quote is the price that counts, and confirm GST on it. See the cost guide.
Frequently asked questions
Will removing the tree fix my drain?
Not by itself. The roots already in the pipe stay, and so does the crack they came through.
My downpipes overflow in heavy rain. Are my gutters the problem?
If the gutters are clean, the stormwater line is the likely cause. A jet blast usually clears it.