Most Southern Highlands weekenders sit empty from Sunday evening to Friday afternoon. The house is locked, the heating is off, and the smoke alarms — if they go off — will be heard by nobody. They'll beep dutifully until the battery dies or a neighbour notices something is wrong.
This is the uncomfortable reality of smoke alarms in unoccupied properties. They're designed to wake you up and get you out of the house. When there's no one in the house, they're not doing what they were designed to do.
There's a straightforward solution to this — and if you already have a UniFi Protect camera system, you may already have everything you need.
How UniFi Protect detects smoke alarms
UniFi Protect cameras have built-in microphones, and the Protect platform includes an audio detection feature that can recognise the specific sound pattern of a smoke or carbon monoxide alarm. When a camera detects that pattern, it immediately sends a push notification to your phone — wherever you are.
This turns your existing security cameras into a passive monitoring system for fire and smoke events. The cameras are already running, already listening, and already connected to your network. No additional hardware, no extra subscription, no separate system to manage.
Why this matters for Southern Highlands properties
The Southern Highlands has a genuine bushfire risk, particularly during summer. Properties surrounded by trees and gardens are more exposed than suburban homes, and the distance from fire services means response times can be longer than in the city. An early alert — even just 10 minutes earlier — can make a meaningful difference.
For a property that's empty most of the week, the difference between a smoke alarm that alerts no one and one that notifies you on your phone the moment it triggers is enormous. You can call a neighbour, a property manager, or emergency services immediately — rather than discovering a problem when you arrive on Friday evening.
What you need for this to work
Three things:
- UniFi Protect cameras with microphones — most current UniFi cameras include this
- A UniFi NVR or compatible Cloud Gateway to run the Protect platform locally
- A reliable internet connection at the property so notifications can reach you remotely — Starlink is ideal for rural Highlands properties
The smoke alarm detection feature is enabled in the Protect app — you can turn it on for individual cameras and set it to notify you immediately when triggered. You can also review the camera footage remotely to assess what's happening before deciding how to respond.
An important note: This is not a replacement for a monitored alarm system connected to a response centre, and it doesn't replace interconnected smoke alarms throughout your property. It's an additional layer of awareness that uses hardware you may already have — and that additional layer could be the thing that makes the difference when your property is unoccupied.
Other things UniFi Protect monitors while you're away
The same system that listens for smoke alarms can also:
- Send you a clip whenever motion is detected on the property
- Alert you to unexpected vehicle or person activity
- Let you check in on the property visually at any time from your phone
- Record continuously so there's always footage to review if something happens
For a weekender that represents a significant investment and contains valuable contents, this kind of passive, always-on awareness has real value.
💡 If your Highlands weekender already has Starlink and a UniFi network, adding Protect cameras and enabling smoke alarm detection may be simpler and less expensive than you'd expect. It's worth a conversation.
Keep an eye on your Highlands property when you can't be there
We install and configure UniFi Protect systems for weekenders and holiday homes across the Southern Highlands — including smoke alarm monitoring, motion alerts, and remote access. Get in touch for a no-obligation chat.
Talk to us