Melbourne — Tier-1 Pillar

Melbourne Ducted Heating & Cooling — Gas Ducted Phase-Out, Reverse-Cycle, VEU

Melbourne ducted heating cooling reality. Gas ducted heating phase-out in new builds post-2024, reverse-cycle as default, VEU rebate on electrification, roof-space AHU placement, Heritage Overlay grille constraints. A$9K-A$22K typical.

~1 min read·Updated 2026-04-23

Victoria is actively phasing out gas in new residential construction. New-build residential gas connections were banned effective 1 January 2024 under the Gas Substitution Roadmap. Existing gas ducted systems can still be repaired and replaced like-for-like through existing DBNGP infrastructure, but the policy direction is clear — reverse-cycle ducted systems now dominate new specification.

Victorian Energy Upgrades (VEU) rebates apply to high-efficiency reverse-cycle systems, particularly where replacing an existing gas ducted unit. The rebate plus running-cost savings create a strong case for electrification on rebuilds.

Heritage Overlay suburbs may restrict ceiling-grille visibility; slot-line diffusers or bulkhead concealment are common workarounds.

AskBaily routes your Melbourne ducted install to an ARC-licensed specialist who coordinates VEU claim, Heritage Overlay constraints, and roof-space AHU placement.

What a Melbourne ducted install involves

System. Reverse-cycle ducted (default). Gas ducted repair/replacement of existing only.
VEU. Rebate on high-efficiency electrification.
AHU placement. Roof space with 1.2 m head clearance. Insulated duct R1.0+.
Zoning. Motorised dampers + smart control.
Heritage. HO restriction on visible ceiling grilles.
Electrical. Licensed electrician + CES.

Frequently asked questions

Can I still install gas ducted heating in Melbourne? New gas connections banned in new-build residential from 1 January 2024. Existing homes can still repair or like-for-like replace gas ducted systems via existing gas services. New specifications are almost all reverse-cycle.

How much does a Melbourne ducted install cost? A$9,000-A$13,000 for 3-zone 10 kW reverse-cycle. A$15,000-A$18,000 for 5-zone 14-16 kW premium. A$20,000-A$22,000+ for 7+ zones.

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Each neighborhood has distinct council + heritage overlay posture. Baily pre-scopes against the specific overlay your home sits under.

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“A string of bright beads of sunlight, breaking through the valleys along the moon’s rim.”

— Francis Baily, 1836

Origin

Who is Baily?

Baily is named after Francis Baily — an English stockbroker who retired at 51, became an astronomer, and in 1836 described something on the edge of a solar eclipse that nobody had properly articulated before: a string of bright beads of sunlight breaking through the valleys along the moon’s rim.

He wasn’t the first to see them. Edmond Halley saw them in 1715 and barely noticed. Baily’s contribution was clarity — describing exactly what was happening, in plain language, so vividly that the whole field of astronomy paid attention. The phenomenon is still called Baily’s beads.

That’s what we wanted our AI to do. Every inbound call and text has signal in it — a homeowner’s real question, a timeline, a budget, a hesitation that means “yes but.” Baily listens to every one, 24/7, and finds the beads of light.

Baily was a businessman before he was a scientist. That’s our vibe too.

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