CCTV Camera Placement Guide for Adelaide Homes: Where to Position Every Camera

The difference between a CCTV system that actually protects your home and one that just looks like it does often comes down to camera placement. You can spend thousands on the best cameras on the market, but if they are pointed in the wrong direction, mounted at the wrong height, or positioned where light conditions make footage unusable, the system will fail you when it matters most. This guide walks through exactly where to place cameras on a typical Adelaide home, why each position matters, and the specific considerations that Adelaide's property layouts and climate demand.

Whether you are planning a new CCTV installation or reviewing the effectiveness of an existing system, use this guide as a practical checklist. We have based the advice on hundreds of installations across Adelaide's suburbs and the common property types you will find from the coast to the Hills.

The Principles of Effective Camera Placement

Before we get into specific positions, there are a few fundamental principles that should guide every camera placement decision.

1. Cover Entry Points First

SAPOL data consistently shows that the vast majority of residential break-ins occur through a door or window. The front door, back door, and side access are the highest-priority positions. Any camera system that does not cover these points has a critical gap. Peripheral coverage (gardens, pool areas, sheds) is valuable but secondary to entry point coverage.

2. Capture Faces, Not Just Presence

A camera that shows someone was on your property is useful. A camera that captures a clear image of their face is dramatically more useful. Face-capture requires the camera to be positioned so that the subject is walking toward or away from the camera (not across it), at a distance of no more than five to eight metres for standard resolution cameras, and with adequate lighting. This is the most commonly missed element in DIY installations.

3. Eliminate Blind Spots

A blind spot is any area of your property boundary or access path that is not covered by any camera. Common blind spots include the area directly below a camera (solved by mounting at the right height and angle), the gap between two camera fields of view (solved by overlapping coverage), and areas concealed by vegetation, fences, or building features. Walk your property boundary and mentally trace the path someone would take to approach each entry point — every part of that path should be visible to at least one camera.

4. Consider Lighting at All Hours

A camera that produces excellent footage at midday but a blurry mess at midnight is only doing half its job. For each camera position, consider: what does the lighting look like after dark? Is there a sensor light that will activate? Will the camera's infrared illumination reach the target area? Is there a strong light source behind the target area (backlighting) that will wash out the image? Addressing lighting at the planning stage prevents expensive repositioning later.

Position 1: Front Door and Porch

The front door is the most important camera position for any home. It is the primary approach point for visitors, deliveries, and — statistically — one of the most common entry points for burglars. A well-positioned front door camera also serves as a video doorbell alternative, showing you who is at the door before you open it.

Mounting Position

Mount the camera under the porch eave or soffit, angled slightly downward toward the door and the approach path. The ideal height is 2.5 to 3 metres. At this height, the camera captures faces of adults approaching the door and is high enough to be out of easy reach for tampering.

Angle and Field of View

A camera with a 100 to 120 degree field of view positioned to one side of the door (not directly above it) provides the best coverage. Directly above the door captures the top of people's heads, which is useless for identification. Offset the camera one to two metres to the side and angle it so the door and the path leading to it are both in frame.

Adelaide-Specific Considerations

Many Adelaide homes have north or west-facing front doors, which means direct sun during the afternoon. This creates backlighting issues where the subject appears as a dark silhouette against bright background light. Choose a camera with Wide Dynamic Range (WDR) for these positions, or mount it on the same side as the sun hits (so the sun is behind the camera, not behind the subject). In suburbs like Prospect, Norwood, and North Adelaide, where many homes have deep front verandahs, the verandah roof provides natural shade that helps with lighting consistency.

Position 2: Driveway

The driveway camera serves multiple purposes: it captures vehicles approaching or parked on your property, records foot traffic along the driveway, and can capture number plates if positioned correctly. For many Adelaide homes, the driveway is the primary access route to both the front door and the garage.

Mounting Position

Mount the camera on the garage wall, under the front eave, or on a pole at the property boundary. Height of 2.5 to 3.5 metres works well. The camera should look along the length of the driveway, not across it, to maximise the time a vehicle or person is in frame.

Number Plate Capture

If capturing number plates is a priority, the camera needs to be positioned so that vehicles pass through the field of view at a distance of three to eight metres, with the camera angled at no more than 30 degrees from horizontal. Vehicles approaching head-on or departing directly away from the camera produce the clearest plate images. A camera with a narrower field of view (such as a varifocal bullet camera) is better for this purpose than a wide-angle dome.

Adelaide-Specific Considerations

Adelaide's standard residential blocks (around 15 to 18 metres wide) mean driveways are typically along one side of the property, running 20 to 30 metres from the street to the garage. A single camera with a 60 to 80 degree field of view, positioned at the garage end looking toward the street, covers this effectively. For corner blocks — common in grid-layout suburbs like Colonel Light Gardens, Glenelg, and Prospect — consider whether the driveway is visible from the street and whether an additional camera is needed for the secondary street frontage.

Position 3: Side Access / Gate

The side gate and access path is one of the most critical — and most commonly missed — camera positions. SAPOL crime prevention data consistently identifies side access as a frequent entry route for burglars, because it provides a path from the street to the backyard that is often concealed from public view.

Mounting Position

Mount the camera on the side wall of the house, looking along the side path toward the gate. Height of 2.5 to 3 metres. If the side path is very narrow (common in Adelaide's older suburbs where houses are built close to the boundary), a wide-angle camera is essential to capture the full width of the path.

Gate Coverage

The camera should have a clear view of the gate itself, so you can see when it is opened and by whom. If the gate is at the front of the property, the front door or driveway camera may partially cover it. If the gate is mid-way along the side of the house (as is common with many Adelaide homes), a dedicated side access camera is the only way to cover this area.

Adelaide-Specific Considerations

Adelaide's Torrens title houses often have narrow side passages (900mm to 1.5 metres wide) between the house and the boundary fence. These tight spaces require cameras with a wide field of view (110 degrees or more) to capture the full width. The walls on either side can create deep shadow, so infrared performance is important here. Community title and strata properties may have shared side access, which adds privacy considerations — your camera should cover your own property's access path without capturing your neighbour's private areas.

Position 4: Backyard

The backyard is where most break-in attempts actually occur. An offender who has made it through the side gate to the rear of the property is now out of view from the street and has time to attempt entry through a back door, laundry door, or rear window. Backyard coverage is essential.

Mounting Position

Mount the camera high on the rear wall of the house, under the eave or on a fascia bracket, looking outward across the backyard. Height of 2.5 to 3.5 metres. Angle it to cover the back door, any accessible rear windows, and as much of the yard and fence line as possible.

Coverage Priorities

In a typical Adelaide backyard, prioritise: the back door and immediate surrounds, the path from the side gate to the back door, any detached shed or garage, and the rear fence line (where someone might climb over). If the backyard is large, two cameras may be needed — one for the immediate house area and one for the rear boundary.

Adelaide-Specific Considerations

Many Adelaide homes built in the 1950s through 1980s have large backyards (sometimes 15 to 25 metres deep) that are difficult to cover with a single wide-angle camera. A varifocal camera that can be zoomed to cover the rear fence line provides better detail at distance than a fixed wide-angle lens. Properties with swimming pools should consider camera placement that includes the pool area for both security and child safety purposes. In newer developments around Mawson Lakes, Lightsview, and Bowden, courtyard-style backyards are much smaller and a single wide-angle camera from the back wall provides comprehensive coverage.

Position 5: Garage and Carport

Garages are a common target because they often contain valuable tools, bicycles, and provide direct access to the house through an internal door. Carports, being open structures, are even more vulnerable.

Mounting Position

For detached garages, mount a camera on the exterior facing the approach path and the garage door. For attached garages, the driveway camera may cover the exterior, but consider an internal camera if the garage contains high-value items or has an internal access door to the house. Mount at 2.5 to 3 metres on the wall or ceiling.

Adelaide-Specific Considerations

Many Adelaide homes, particularly those from the 1960s to 1980s, have detached garages at the rear of the property accessed via the driveway. These are often out of sight from the street, making them a softer target. A camera covering the approach to a detached garage is a high-value position. In newer estates, attached double garages with internal access are standard — ensuring the garage door and the internal access door are both visible to a camera addresses the main vulnerability.

Position 6: Secondary Entrances

Beyond the main front and back doors, Adelaide homes commonly have additional entry points that should not be overlooked:

• Laundry door: External laundry doors are extremely common in Adelaide homes, particularly in homes from the 1960s to 1990s where the laundry is located at the rear or side of the house. This is a frequently targeted entry point because it is often out of sight and may have a weaker lock than the main doors.
• French doors / sliding doors: Large glass doors opening to an alfresco area or verandah are a vulnerability, particularly at the rear of the property. A camera covering this area is important.
• Side entry (direct from carport): Some Adelaide home designs include a door from the carport directly into the house. If this entry point is not covered by another camera, it needs its own.

Height and Angle Recommendations

These are guidelines, not rigid rules. The optimal height and angle for each position depends on the specific architecture of your home, the distance to the target area, and any obstructions in the field of view. An experienced installer will fine-tune each camera's position during installation to optimise the image.

Coverage Overlap: Why It Matters

In a well-designed CCTV system, the fields of view from adjacent cameras overlap at the edges. This serves two purposes. First, it eliminates blind spots at the transitions between camera coverage zones. Second, it provides corroborating footage — if an event occurs in the overlap zone, you have two camera angles of the same event, which is significantly more useful for identification and evidence purposes.

For a typical Adelaide home with four cameras, the overlap zones should be at the corners where the front coverage meets the side coverage, and where the side coverage meets the rear coverage. This creates a continuous surveillance perimeter around the property.

Camera Placement by Adelaide Property Type

Traditional Detached Home (600–700 sqm Block)

This is the most common property type across Adelaide's established suburbs — Marion, Morphett Vale, Modbury, Salisbury, and similar areas. Typically three to four bedrooms, single storey, with a front yard, side access on one or both sides, and a sizeable backyard.

Recommended cameras: 4 — front door, driveway, side access, and backyard. This provides complete perimeter coverage for the property. If budget allows, a fifth camera for a detached rear garage or shed is worthwhile.

Torrens Title / Narrow Block

Common in newer subdivisions and infill developments across suburbs like Prospect, Kilburn, and Plympton. These properties are built on narrower blocks (often 300 to 450 square metres) with minimal side access and a smaller backyard.

Recommended cameras: 3–4 — front door, driveway/carport, and backyard. If side access exists on one side, add a camera there. The compact layout means fewer cameras can achieve complete coverage.

Courtyard Home / Townhouse

Increasingly common in newer developments like Lightsview, Bowden, and Mawson Lakes. These properties have minimal front setback, no side access, and a small courtyard rather than a traditional backyard.

Recommended cameras: 2–3 — front entrance and courtyard. If there is a garage, the driveway approach is the third priority. The compact footprint means comprehensive coverage with fewer cameras.

Character Home (Pre-1950s)

Bluestone villas, sandstone cottages, and federation homes common in Norwood, Unley, Walkerville, Medindie, and North Adelaide. These properties often have deep front gardens, wide verandahs, and extensive rear gardens with outbuildings.

Recommended cameras: 4–6 — front verandah, front garden/approach, side access (often both sides in freestanding homes), and rear garden. The larger footprint and multiple access paths typically require more cameras than modern homes. Camera aesthetics matter in heritage settings — discreet dome cameras in colours that blend with the building are preferred over prominent bullet cameras.

Adelaide Hills Property

Properties in Stirling, Crafers, Bridgewater, and the wider Hills face unique challenges: large blocks, steep terrain, long driveways, and heavy tree coverage. Distances between the house and property boundary can be significant.

Recommended cameras: 4–8 — front entrance, driveway (potentially multiple cameras for long driveways), side accesses, rear, and any detached buildings. Long-range bullet cameras with varifocal lenses are often necessary for covering larger distances. The heavy tree canopy in the Hills creates low-light conditions even during daytime, so cameras with excellent low-light performance are essential.

Privacy Considerations for Camera Placement

In South Australia, the Surveillance Devices Act 2016 governs the use of CCTV on private property. While you are entitled to install cameras on your own property for security purposes, there are important boundaries to be aware of when deciding where to point them.

What You Can Record

You can record your own property — including your front yard, driveway, backyard, and any structures on your land — without restriction. You can also record areas visible from your property that are public spaces (the street, footpath in front of your home) provided the primary purpose is the security of your own premises. Most Adelaide CCTV installations will inevitably capture some portion of the public footpath or street, and this is generally considered acceptable.

What You Should Avoid Recording

Cameras should not be positioned to deliberately record areas where other people have a reasonable expectation of privacy. This includes:

• A neighbour's backyard, windows, or private outdoor areas
• Shared spaces in apartment buildings (common hallways, courtyards) unless all residents have been notified
• Areas of your own property used by others (a shared driveway, for example) without their awareness

The practical implication for camera placement is that your cameras should be angled to cover your own property boundaries and entry points, with any incidental capture of neighbouring or public areas being a byproduct rather than the intent. If you are unsure about a specific camera position, a professional installer familiar with SA surveillance law can advise.

Audio Recording

Audio recording has stricter legal requirements than video in South Australia. Under the Surveillance Devices Act, at least one party to a private conversation must consent to the recording. Many CCTV cameras have built-in microphones that record audio by default. If you do not need audio recording, we recommend disabling the microphone in the camera settings to avoid any potential legal issues. If you want audio recording (for example, at a front door to record conversations with visitors), ensure signage indicates that recording is in operation.

Signage

While signage is not strictly mandatory for residential CCTV in South Australia, it is strongly recommended. A simple "CCTV in Operation" sign at your front gate or near the main camera positions serves dual purposes: it provides notice to visitors that they are being recorded (addressing privacy expectations), and it adds to the deterrent effect of the cameras.

How Many Cameras Do You Actually Need?

Camera manufacturers and some installers have an incentive to sell more cameras. Here is an honest assessment of how many cameras different Adelaide property types genuinely need for effective security coverage.

The "minimum" column covers only the most critical positions (front door and one other key area). The "recommended" column provides solid all-around coverage of the main access points and approach routes. The "comprehensive" column covers the full perimeter with overlap and includes secondary areas like garages, sheds, and pool areas.

For most Adelaide households, four cameras in the recommended positions delivers the best balance of coverage and cost. You can always start with four cameras and expand later if you identify coverage gaps or your security needs change. Modern NVR systems accommodate expansion, so starting small and adding cameras later is a practical and cost-effective approach.

Seasonal Considerations for Adelaide

Adelaide's climate creates camera placement considerations that are unique to our region and should be factored into any system design.

Summer Sun Position

Adelaide's high summer sun angle (the sun passes almost directly overhead at the December solstice) means that camera positions facing north can experience severe backlighting for much of the day during summer. Cameras under deep eaves or soffits are naturally shaded and produce more consistent images. For positions without natural shade, WDR (Wide Dynamic Range) cameras are essential.

Winter Sun and Long Shadows

In winter, the sun sits much lower in the northern sky, casting long shadows across properties — particularly on the south side of houses. These shadows can cause motion detectors to trigger falsely as the shadow boundary moves, and can create inconsistent lighting in camera footage. Position cameras to minimise exposure to moving shadow lines, and use cameras with good dynamic range that can handle the contrast between shadowed and sunlit areas.

Vegetation Growth

Adelaide's growing season (spring through autumn) can significantly change the vegetation around your property. A camera that has perfect sightlines in winter may have partially blocked views by mid-summer due to deciduous leaf growth, hedge growth, or climbing plants. When positioning cameras, consider the maximum growth state of nearby vegetation and plan for seasonal pruning to maintain clear sightlines. This is particularly relevant for properties with established gardens in suburbs like Burnside, Unley, and Norwood.

Storm and Wind Events

Adelaide regularly experiences strong north winds (often ahead of cold fronts) that can cause camera brackets to shift or vibrate if not securely mounted. External cameras should be mounted with stainless steel screws into solid substrates (masonry, timber studs), not into rendered foam or unsupported sheet material. In coastal suburbs from Glenelg to Semaphore, salt corrosion can degrade non-marine-grade mounting hardware within one to two years.

Common Camera Placement Mistakes

• Mounting too high: A camera at five metres captures a wide overview but loses facial detail. For identification purposes, 2.5 to 3 metres is the sweet spot.
• Pointing at the sky: If too much of the frame is sky and not enough is ground-level action, the camera's automatic exposure compensates for the bright sky and underexposes the ground, making subjects dark and hard to identify.
• Ignoring backlighting: A camera aimed at a doorway that faces the afternoon sun will produce silhouettes instead of identifiable images. Use WDR cameras or reposition to avoid the worst backlighting.
• Forgetting the side of the house: This is the most common gap in DIY installations. Homeowners mount cameras at the front and back but leave the side access — a primary entry route for burglars — completely uncovered.
• Overlooking vegetation growth: A camera that has clear sightlines in winter may be partially blocked by foliage in summer. Plan for seasonal vegetation growth and prune regularly around camera positions.
• Using the same camera for everything: Different positions have different requirements. A wide-angle dome is great for a front porch but poor for driveway number plate capture. Mixing camera types for different positions produces a much more effective system.

Lighting and Night Performance

Adelaide's latitude means significant variation in daylight hours across the year — from 14.5 hours in summer to under 10 hours in winter. Your cameras need to perform well in all conditions.

Sensor Lights and Cameras

Pairing sensor lights with cameras is one of the most effective combinations for residential security. The sensor light serves as a deterrent (sudden illumination startles intruders), provides better footage quality (the camera image is clearer with supplemental lighting), and draws your attention to the area. Position sensor lights to illuminate the camera's primary target zone without shining directly into the camera lens.

Infrared vs Colour Night Vision

Standard infrared cameras produce black-and-white footage at night, which is functional but loses colour information (clothing colour, vehicle colour) that aids identification. Colour night vision cameras use supplemental white-light LEDs or advanced sensors to maintain colour images in very low light. For key positions like the front door and driveway, colour night vision is a worthwhile upgrade. For secondary positions, standard infrared is usually adequate.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many cameras do I need for my Adelaide home?

Most standard Adelaide homes are well-covered by four cameras: front door, driveway, side access, and backyard. Larger properties, two-storey homes, and properties with multiple access points may need six to eight cameras. The minimum practical setup is two cameras covering the front and rear.

Should cameras be visible or hidden?

Visible cameras provide both deterrence and evidence. Research consistently shows that visible security cameras deter 50 to 60 percent of potential burglars. We recommend making cameras visible at key positions (front entrance, driveway) for maximum deterrent effect. Hidden cameras can supplement visible ones in areas where you specifically want to capture someone who may try to avoid the visible cameras.

Can my neighbour's camera point at my property?

Under South Australian law, cameras should not be positioned to deliberately record areas where people have a reasonable expectation of privacy, including neighbouring properties. If a neighbour's camera inadvertently captures a small portion of your property (such as a shared fence line), this is generally tolerable. If their camera is directly aimed at your backyard, windows, or private areas, this may be a breach of the Surveillance Devices Act 1972 (SA) and you have legal options to address it.

How do I prevent camera fog and condensation?

Adelaide's mild winters can cause condensation on camera lenses, particularly in the early morning. Choose cameras with built-in heaters (common in commercial-grade models), ensure cameras are mounted under eaves or protected from direct exposure to morning dew, and avoid mounting cameras in areas with poor air circulation. Regular lens cleaning also prevents buildup that attracts moisture.

How The Alarm Guy Helps

Camera placement is where professional expertise makes the biggest difference. We design CCTV systems for Adelaide homes based on a thorough on-site assessment of your property's layout, access points, lighting conditions, and specific vulnerabilities. Every camera position is chosen for maximum effectiveness, and we fine-tune angles during installation to ensure optimal coverage.

We work across every Adelaide property type, from courtyard homes in the inner suburbs to large blocks in the Hills, and we understand the specific challenges each presents. If you want to make sure your cameras are in the right positions, we are happy to assess your property and provide our recommendations — whether you are starting from scratch or reviewing an existing system.