When tasked with protecting an important heritage site, Erase Pest Control opted to install a premium termite management system.
In late 2023, the team from Erase Pest Control took over the pest management contract for the Hartley Historic Site in the Blue Mountains. Located a couple of hours’ drive west of Sydney, this well-preserved site is a heritage-listed historic village just off the Great Western Highway in Hartley, NSW. The village was built from 1837 to 1850 and was one of the first rural settlements west of the Blue Mountains. Originally established as an administrative and judicial centre for the region, a total of 17 buildings exist on the site, from the Mortimer-Lewis-designed courthouse built in 1837 to Corney’s Garage built of timber and iron in 1945.
Erase Pest Control has been tasked with protecting the village from termite attack to ensure its heritage and history continues to be preserved. Erase Pest Control is one of Sydney’s oldest pest control companies, beginning as a family-owned and operated business. Owner Jason Twomey, with the support of Ken Twomey and the team, offers clients good old-fashioned service coupled with a wealth of knowledge in pest management, particularly in termite control, and is a staunch supporter of Sentricon AlwaysActive, the team’s go-to termite management product.
One of the first tasks was to increase the level of termite protection of the village due to some of the buildings having suffered termite damage over the years. An old ‘DIY’ termite monitoring system had been previously installed, and an upgrade to a more technologically advanced system was required. With funding approved, Erase Pest Control were able to give their recommendations for the site and deliver a solution quickly.
After confirming that there was no active termite infestation, the team were on-site in Hartley for several days in May and June 2024 installing over 220 Sentricon AlwaysActive in-ground stations around 11 buildings. Using a combination of hand augers, cordless drills, and power augurs, it only took a few minutes to drill each hole and insert a station into the ground, even when the terrain was less than compliant. The Sentricon AlwaysActive IG Termiticide Rod is pre-loaded in the Sentricon stations so installation was quick and easy without the need for the installers to handle any chemicals.
For Mr Twomey, Sentricon was the only system that he considered using for the Hartley Historic Site. Why? “Because it is a tried, tested, and proven product that we have used in hundreds of locations over the years,” he said. As Mr Twomey is a passionate advocate for the protection of heritage properties in the greater Western Sydney area, the management team at Hartley were more than happy to follow his recommendation to install Sentricon AlwaysActive.
To maintain the system, inspections are scheduled at regular intervals and the Erase Pest Control team will also be monitoring a timber borer issue that was discovered during the site inspection.”
Some of the buildings in the village have been closed to the public for safety reasons due to the extensive damage sustained from previous termite infestations. Barbara Checchi, Sentricon business manager, was on site during the installation process. “The amount of damage that had been inflicted on these beautiful old relics was sad to see – it was such a shame that they were not able to be treated before their demise,” she said. “Now that the site is protected by Sentricon AlwaysActive, these buildings will be protected against future termite attack, as the system is effective immediately upon installation.”
Sentricon can be installed at any time, from pre-construction to established properties, and can be modified to accommodate changes to the property, for example, with extensions or new landscaping. Most importantly, as Sentricon AlwaysActive is based on an insect growth regulator, it is safe – to the installers, homeowners, children, pets, and the environment. It can be used to treat active infestations to eliminate the entire colony, as well as a long-term termite protection system.
The Hartley management team and the NSW National Parks and Wildlife representative who was also present during the installation were very happy with the service offered by Erase Pest Control and the level of termite protection that Sentricon has afforded the site. For Mr Twomey and his team it marks another success in preserving our important local history.
