# Australian Door Knobs! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 15, 2022, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-door-knobs/961115 "2022-03-15T14:55:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2022, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-door-knobs/961115/1 "2022-03-15T14:55:46Z")
I watched an Australian TV series called Packed to the Rafters on Amazon (I see it’s now on PBS). I noticed that all of their doorknobs in the house are much higher up on the door than ours in the US. They look like they would be about shoulder height to me (5’4"). Is this common in Australia? Other countries? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2022, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-door-knobs/961115/2 "2022-03-15T15:24:05Z")
_Regardless of the size of the door, the Australian Standard AS 1428.1 recommends that the handle height should be 900mm – 1100mm above the floor. For the average adult, this is around waist height. Today, only very old doors or doors installed for a special reason will not meet this recommendation._ [Cite.](https://www.southerncrosswindows.com.au/standard-interior-door-size-australia/) ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2022, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-door-knobs/961115/3 "2022-03-15T15:59:41Z")
I did a little googling out of curiosity and found this screenshot from the show complete with freakishly high doorknob on the left (and what looks like another doorknob between the two adults?). So I can back up the OP with evidence, at least in terms of the show, or at the very least the house in this particular scene, perhaps not Australia as a whole. Maybe the house was built for giants who hate reaching down but don’t mind ducking their heads? [![](https://content.api.news/v3/images/bin/0ced5156cfe65b46b053d360822facb2) ](https://content.api.news/v3/images/bin/0ced5156cfe65b46b053d360822facb2) ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2022, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-door-knobs/961115/4 "2022-03-15T16:07:21Z")
Is it like an old-timey version of a child lock, i.e. a door handle too high for a child to reach, maybe? ---
**Author:** ![Sauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Sauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sauron)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2022, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-door-knobs/961115/5 "2022-03-15T16:17:04Z")
I think the “doorknob” to the right of the doorframe is actually an older version of a thermostat. Could be wrong, though. Not sure about the actual doorknob height, but my thought is it’s a version of childproofing (as somebody else said). ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2022, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-door-knobs/961115/6 "2022-03-15T16:19:26Z")
> [@Sauron](#): > > I think the “doorknob” to the right of the doorframe is actually an older version of a thermostat. Could be wrong, though. I think it’s an [old light switch](https://www.google.com/search?q=old+round+light+switch&rlz=1C5CHFA_enGB976GB976&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjvuNrAwsj2AhUPWsAKHdsUA8gQ_AUoAnoECAEQBA&biw=2112&bih=1077&dpr=2). ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2022, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-door-knobs/961115/7 "2022-03-15T16:19:56Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > I think it’s an [old light switch](https://www.google.com/search?q=old+round+light+switch&rlz=1C5CHFA_enGB976GB976&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjvuNrAwsj2AhUPWsAKHdsUA8gQ_AUoAnoECAEQBA&biw=2112&bih=1077&dpr=2). ninjad. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2022, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-door-knobs/961115/8 "2022-03-15T16:26:24Z")
Yes, but the door knob _on the left_ of the woman is at an abnormal height. ---
**Author:** ![Sauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Sauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sauron)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2022, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-door-knobs/961115/9 "2022-03-15T16:48:24Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > > [@Sauron](#): > > > > I think the “doorknob” to the right of the doorframe is actually an older version of a thermostat. Could be wrong, though. > > I think it’s an [old light switch](https://www.google.com/search?q=old+round+light+switch&rlz=1C5CHFA_enGB976GB976&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjvuNrAwsj2AhUPWsAKHdsUA8gQ_AUoAnoECAEQBA&biw=2112&bih=1077&dpr=2). That makes more sense, especially with the positioning by the door frame. Nice call! ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2022, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-door-knobs/961115/10 "2022-03-15T19:03:06Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Yes, but the door knob _on the left_ of the woman is at an abnormal height. Congratulations, you have the rare gift of “first sight”, seeing what’s actually there the first time. Much more useful than “second sight” in my opinion. ---
**Author:** ![Jebbilene](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jebbilene/32/3414_2.png) [@Jebbilene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jebbilene)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2022, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-door-knobs/961115/11 "2022-03-15T23:05:50Z")
I don’t have a theory as to why, but that height doorknob is common in older houses in Australia. My current house has doors almost exactly like the one in the photo, and there are several of those light switches as well. ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2022, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-door-knobs/961115/12 "2022-03-15T23:25:51Z")
I’m standing next to an old door with a knob very like the one in the photo above. Its centre is 83cm from the floor. The one in the next room is the same. A modern door elsewhere in the house has its knob 102cm from the floor. _ **shrug** _ ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2022, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-door-knobs/961115/13 "2022-03-15T23:40:39Z")
Recently on Reddit, someone posted a picture of a woman holding a huge house cat. Someone correctly pointed out that the perspective of the picture made the cat look a bit bigger, but still it was a really big cat. Then someone else said hold up, look at the doorknob behind the lady. The doorknob, assuming normal height, meant she was a tiny person holding a big cat, but not the huge cat everyone assumed when first viewing the picture. /DoorKnob (or is it Door Knob?) tangent/hijack ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2022, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-door-knobs/961115/14 "2022-03-16T03:55:54Z")
The doorknobs in my old(ish) New Zealand house sit between my shoulder and elbow. I’m not convinced it’s for child-proofing, just the way they were made back then (whenever “then” was.) ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2022, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-door-knobs/961115/15 "2022-03-16T05:39:58Z")
It’s an old house thing. Our house (late 19th century) has the doorknobs at reasonable height but the light switches are all about shoulder height for some reason. No idea why. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2022, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-door-knobs/961115/16 "2022-03-16T13:14:44Z")
So there’s no agreed upon reason for them to be so high? Seems like a lower knob would just make more sense, like the way it would fall to hand just by reaching out. And, wouldn’t rotating a lower knob be more effortless? ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2022, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-door-knobs/961115/17 "2022-03-16T13:19:00Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > > [@silenus](#): > > > > Yes, but the door knob _on the left_ of the woman is at an abnormal height. > > Congratulations, you have the rare gift of “first sight”, seeing what’s actually there the first time. Much more useful than “second sight” in my opinion. I see they’ve played knobby-switchy before! ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2022, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-door-knobs/961115/18 "2022-03-17T11:12:10Z")
> [@Princhester](#): > > It’s an old house thing. Our house (late 19th century) has the doorknobs at reasonable height but the light switches are all about shoulder height for some reason. No idea why. +1 My Federation was built around 1905. The internal door knobs are approx 1.25m. The internal light switches are approx 1.75m As originally fitted out, each room has one power point, also 1.25m Either power was very expensive or electrics considered not kiddy safe. Also the actress, Rebecca Gibney is 1.74m ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2022, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-door-knobs/961115/19 "2022-03-17T11:17:53Z")
> [@Princhester](#): > > It’s an old house thing. Our house (late 19th century) has the doorknobs at reasonable height but the light switches are all about shoulder height for some reason. No idea why. Aren’t light switches normally at shoulder height? I’m now looking around my (1880) house - all the light switches are shoulder height. Now, of course, electricity has been fitted sometime in the 20th century so this isn’t an oldey-thing, and my wiring was redone about 15 years ago, but they’re all still shoulder height. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2022, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-door-knobs/961115/20 "2022-03-17T11:20:24Z")
> [@penultima\_thule](#): > > As originally fitted out, each room has one power point, also 1.25m > Either power was very expensive or electrics considered not kiddy safe. My parents bought a brand new house in the early 60s that only had one power point per room (this being in the UK). I think the builders just didn’t imagine anyone would have much to plug in back then, aside from a lamp or a radio. If you wanted more sockets you had to pay extra. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-door-knobs/961115.md?page=2)