go to the "dial before you dig" website.

You put in your address, and all the information regarding utilities pipes will be shown on site map.

This website has been available for about 20 years.

https://www.1100.com.au/

thanks - I am aware of DBYD, and have previously downloaded the DBYD pdfs for the site. Also I have previously called the utility companies - showing the location of the utility services within the property boundary is not a guarantee - in my case that info is not available hence getting tradies to check as mentioned.

You are on the right track then. Hope the mystery is solved soon.

Did they open the green dome and track from there?

Whilst power seems a logical conclusion , what do you know about previous owners/tenants ?

Why I ask is that I am in NZ , and I bought an expensive house right on a large lake -- it was at the end of a very long driveway . Turned out there was only 1 phone line installed , and in an area classed as rural ( theres something in NZ which makes it harder for rural areas to get more phone / fax / internet lines -- you have to pay LOTS ) . These days , you'd go wireless ( cell network ) but in those days 22 years ago , that wasn't a thing .

So the quote to get a couple more phone lines , a fax line and internet for 400 metres or so down the driveway was literally in the $10's of thousands ! Knowing people , I made a couple of calls , and bought $400 of wire and a couple of long garden hoses , and laid my own cables , using a narrow trenching spade , buried 150-200mm deep , then paid $100 each end to get them connected . Acting on advice , I laid them that close to the surface firstly to save time and even $$ hiring a ditch witch etc ; but also because any problems you just dig up and repair or start again . If the Telecom technician laid the cable , they have to go by the book and lay it 1 metre deep or whatever ; do it yourself and you are responsible -- they ask if you have complied , but as it at your risk , they can't legally ( or maybe don't care ) dig up and check . Probably , if you put on a nice lunch or a dozen cold ones , they would have hooked up a system stapled to the fence posts haha !

So who knows , but thats one explanation .

I’m not sure on the wisdom of having electrical wires in a metal pipe. Definitely looks like a home diy job. I’m tossing up saying to just leave it or to have one of the electricians terminate it at one end.

I’m terms of planting I’d say you’ll be fine. The pipe doesn’t contain liquids so plants aren’t going to seek it out from thirst and the narrow space means smaller plants.

John Clarke was a favourite of mine, with his satirical political humour. Sadly passed away in 2017.

If you haven't looked at his Fred Dagg stuff , do so -- it was definitely before its time , more biting than Monty Python etc . Even his songs -- 'we don't know how lucky we are' , 'the gumboot song' etc were brilliant !

Here's when they got him to present the weather !

If it was me and you trust t the electricians advice i would explore where it terminates at each end.

What did you finally do??

well, it turned out to be a legacy land line (you can see the Telstra pit on the Northern end in the pictures). It was disconnected and replaced with NBN a couple of years ago - but nobody bothered to actually dispose of it due to that concrete I reckon.