Budget Direct says properties constructed more than 50 years ago may be deemed older properties, and this could have a bearing on home insurance, while homes built before the early 1900s could have heritage classification and not be eligible for cover at all. 

NSW has a 42% share of houses built before 1900, Victoria 34%, Queensland 9%, SA 8%, Tasmania 4%, WA 2% and the NT less than 1%, the insurer says. Sydney's Paddington has the largest share of old homes built prior to the 1900s, followed by Newtown, Surry Hills, Balmain and Redfern.  

“It’s important to know if your home is classified as a heritage-listed dwelling as this may have an effect on insurance protection cover,” Budget Direct Chief Growth Officer Jonathan Kerr said. "If you buy a heritage-listed home, you won’t be eligible for Budget Direct home insurance.” 

Queensland has six of ten suburbs with the oldest average homes. Ipswich homes have an average age of 82.6 years, and East Toowoomba homes 79.3 years, while in Mount Morgan, Gordon Park and Ascot, the average age of homes is above 69 years. 

Homes in East Geelong, Victoria on average are 81 years old while Clovelly in Sydney homes average 78 years. Melbourne’s Ascot Vale was also in the top 10. 

The youngest suburbs by state were topped by Queensland’s Banya, where the average home is just six months old. Victoria and NSW had three suburbs each in the top 10: Mambourin, Bonnie Brook and Deanside, and Melonba, Grantham Farm and Gables respectively.