As Featured in The Age: Why Melbourne Homeowners Are Turning to Residential Bollards
Car theft in Victoria has reached a point where it’s no longer just a statistic — it’s reshaping how Melbourne homeowners protect their properties. More residents are now installing residential bollards in Melbourne to secure driveways and vehicles, a trend that made headlines this month in The Age. Shug Bollards was proud to be part of that conversation.
In the article, our founder James Strachan spoke about the surge in Victorians installing residential bollards. He explained why more property owners are now choosing physical security measures over cameras and alarms alone.
What The Age Reported
The feature centred on the scale of Victoria’s car theft problem. According to data from the Insurance Council of Australia, Victoria now accounts for more car-theft insurance claims than every other state and territory combined. In fact, insurance claims for stolen cars in Melbourne have eclipsed all other capital cities combined. Meanwhile, Google searches for “steering wheel lock” have increased more than 5000 per cent nationwide over the past five years, and Victoria Police are actively urging residents to take up simple crime-prevention measures.
The article, originally published by The Age, followed one Ashburton homeowner who has spent around $20,000 upgrading his home’s security. After a break-in and a spate of attempted burglaries on his street, he installed reinforced doors, smash-proof and bulletproof glazing, high fencing, and bollards to protect his driveway.
It’s a story playing out across Melbourne’s suburbs. As a result, this is exactly why we’ve started seeing demand shift the way it has.
Why Residential Bollards Are Having a Moment
For years, bollards were associated almost entirely with commercial and industrial sites — shopping centres, warehouses, loading docks. That’s changing fast.
As James told The Age, the appeal of a bollard over a camera is simple. A camera might capture footage of your car being stolen, but it won’t stop it happening. By contrast, a well-installed bollard creates a physical barrier. It forces a would-be thief to work harder, take more time, and risk more exposure — often enough to make them move on to an easier target.
That shift in thinking is showing up in the numbers. We’ve seen demand for residential bollards Melbourne-wide climb significantly. In fact, roughly half of our current customers are now homeowners rather than commercial clients — a dramatic change from even a few years ago.
Common Reasons Melbourne Homeowners Are Installing Bollards
Talking to customers across Melbourne, a few patterns come up again and again:
- Driveway protection — stopping vehicles being driven straight off the property, particularly for homes with off-street parking visible from the road.
- Deterring ram-raid style theft — making it physically harder for a stolen or unauthorised vehicle to access a garage, carport, or driveway.
- Peace of mind after a break-in or attempted burglary — many customers come to us after something has already happened on their street, not necessarily to their own home.
- Protecting high-value vehicles — classic cars, restored vehicles, and newer models that are common theft targets.
- Visual deterrence — a visible bollard signals that a property is harder to target, which can be enough on its own to discourage opportunistic theft.
What to Consider Before Installing Residential Bollards
Not every bollard is suited to every home, and getting it wrong can mean paying twice. A few things worth thinking through:
Fixed vs removable. Fixed bollards offer maximum security but permanently block vehicle access. Removable or collapsible bollards let you reclaim the driveway when needed — ideal for daily use properties.
Placement. Bollards work best positioned at the most vulnerable access point, usually the driveway entrance, rather than scattered around a property.
Quality of materials. As several Age readers noted in their own comments to the paper, it pays to avoid cheap, imported bollards that won’t hold up to a determined attempt. A quality steel bollard, properly installed, is a long-term investment rather than a quick fix.
Compliance and council requirements. Depending on your council and property type, there may be requirements around bollard placement near footpaths or street frontages. Therefore, it’s worth checking before installation.
How Shug Bollards Can Help
We’ve spent years supplying and installing bollards for commercial sites across Melbourne. Now, we’re applying that same experience to residential properties. Whether you’re after a single driveway bollard or a full perimeter solution, our residential bollards range covers it. Not sure what’s right for your property? Our team can talk you through the options.
If Victoria’s car theft figures have you thinking about your own driveway, you’re far from alone. And a free quote costs you nothing.
Get in touch with Shug Bollards today for a free quote on residential bollards Melbourne-wide.
This article references reporting originally published by The Age, “Bollards and bullet-proof glass: Melburnians go all out to keep homes, cars safe,” June 2026.
