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Cleaning residential and business gutters may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but for husband and wife team Judah and Tameka Bryon, providing this service for others is at the heart of their thriving small business.
The couple, who moved to Dubbo last year from Sydney and grew up on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, haven’t looked back as they established their business to carry out aspects of rooftop maintenance that many locals can’t safely manage themselves.
“The fire brigade says ‘clean your gutters’, but a lot of people don't know how to do that and getting up on the ladder can be difficult and unsafe,” Judah said.
“Injuries happen if someone doesn't know how to do it safely, and often they don't have good ladders either.”
Based in Dubbo but also serving nearby communities including Gilgandra, Wellington, Narromine and local villages, Wattle Cleaning makes the at-times difficult task of maintaining home and business guttering stress-free, risk-free, and above all, safe.
With the 2025/26 bush fire season drawing to a close on March 31, now is the perfect time to take the advice of NSW Rural Fire Service Commissioner Trent Curtin, who urged residents not to become complacent.
“Now is a good time for landholders and residents to review their bush fire survival plan and ensure their property is prepared ahead of future fire seasons,” he said in a statement.
Among the more serious incidents this fire season was a bushfire at Koolewong on the Central Coast, where 16 homes were destroyed. Firefighters also responded to several notable fires across the Mid Coast and Hunter regions, requiring large numbers of crews and aerial firefighting resources, the Commissioner said.
Wattle Cleaning can help residents prepare for the next fire season by inspecting their gutters on homes and businesses, obligation-free, and, where needed, carry out a full clean.
Leaf litter, dust and other debris can find its way into guttering from closely-planted trees, as well as from naturally occurring storms and high winds. How often residents need to clear their gutters will depend on these factors, and Judah is happy to advise on individual situations.
Cleaning out gutters is vital, particularly in rural areas and those prone to bushfires, but also in high density residential areas with homes built in close proximity to each other, which can also be at risk from airborne embers in bushfires. The “off season” is the perfect time to do this, Judah said.
Part of the company’s unique service involves an obligation-free quote involving a physical rooftop inspection, which allows Judah to see what the gutters are like and what he needs to do to clean them. During this onsite inspection, Judah will take photos to show the residents what is up there. He also provides photos at the end of a clean.
Tameka said clients appreciate seeing the “before and after” photos, and the fact that Judah cleans by hand, taking care to ensure debris doesn’t find its way onto gardens below.
“By hand picking it, there's no mess. We’re not blowing all the sludgy stuff onto their beautiful gardens,” she added.
“The photos are also good for insurance purposes if making a claim,” Tameka said.
Most people never get up on their roof and may be quite shocked to know what’s up there potentially blocking their gutters, Judah said.
One home near an active construction site in Dubbo had inches of red dust clogging the gutters and only two downpipes to clear any run-off, he said, requiring a day-long operation to clear and clean. He has also found dead rats and birds decomposing in local gutters, but is yet to encounter any snakes!
Solar panels also attract birds to rooftops where they can rest and nest in the shade and protection of the panels. Wattle Cleaning also offers a solar panel cleaning service and netting service to stop birds getting under the panels.
Judah and Tameka have come to love their new home town and the new friends they have made in the community, and would love to hear from anyone interested in how Wattle Cleaning can help maintain their residential or business rooftop gutters.
Their website can be found at https://wattlecleaning.com/, where you can make an online enquiry, or you can call 0494 646 268.