Quick answer
Most single-storey Melbourne homes are well covered by four cameras: the front door, the driveway, the side gate and the backyard. Larger homes, corner blocks and double-storey houses usually need six to eight. The goal is to cover every way someone can approach your home, not every square metre.
Start with how someone would get in
Burglars and thieves usually come through a small number of places: the front door, the driveway, side gates and the back of the house. Cover those well and you’ll capture almost anyone who comes onto the property. Cameras pointed at empty garden beds or fences add cost without adding much protection.
The four positions most homes need
Front door
Captures faces of visitors and anyone taking parcels. Mount at about head height plus a little, angled to see faces rather than the tops of heads.
Driveway
Covers cars, the garage and the path to the front. A wider view works here, ideally catching vehicles as they arrive.
Side gate
One of the most common entry points for break-ins. A camera here catches anyone heading to the back of the house.
Backyard
Covers back doors, sliding doors and windows, which are often less visible from the street.
When you need more than four
- Corner blocks have two street frontages and often two side paths.
- Double-storey homes may need cameras at both levels, or covering balconies.
- Long driveways or large yards may need a second camera to capture detail at a distance.
- Sheds, garages and granny flats often need their own coverage.
- Number plates need a dedicated camera aimed at a specific spot, as a wide camera rarely reads a moving plate.
Overview cameras vs identification cameras
An overview camera shows what happened, such as someone walking up the driveway. An identification camera shows who it was, close enough to recognise a face. A good system has both: wide views for the whole area and at least one camera at each entry close enough to identify people.
Plan for the future
A 4-channel recorder takes exactly four cameras. If there’s a chance you’ll add cameras later, for example after building a shed or extension, an 8-channel recorder saves replacing the recorder down the track.
Don’t point cameras at the neighbours
Aim cameras at your own property. Cameras that look into a neighbour’s windows or yard can cause disputes and may raise legal issues. Many cameras let us block out part of the image, called privacy masking. Read more in our guide to CCTV and privacy rules in Victoria.
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