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⚡ Justin’s Blog – A Sparky with a Few Yarns
⚡ Justin’s Blog – A Sparky with a Few Yarns
Welcome to the lighter side of Sydney Street Electrical.
I’m Justin Carter — licensed electrician, Managing Director, and all‑round handy bloke. After more than 30 years on the tools, I’ve collected plenty of stories, lessons, and laughs. This blog isn’t about wiring diagrams or how‑to guides (because electrical DIY is both illegal and dangerous). Instead, it’s a place for:
Stories from the field – the memorable, the funny, and the unexpected moments from decades in the trade.
Everyday tips – the kind of practical, non‑electrical advice that makes life easier (from mowing the lawn to fixing up the shed).
Product recommendations – gear I’ve tried out myself, sometimes from trusted suppliers or even Amazon, always shared honestly.
A bit of humour – because a good yarn is worth as much as a good set of tools.
Think of it as a mix of storytelling, handyman wisdom, and a few laughs — all grounded in the values that built Sydney Street Electrical: safety, honesty, and quality.
⚠️ Blog Disclaimer
⚠️ Blog Disclaimer
The content on this blog is for general interest and entertainment purposes only.
Nothing here should be taken as electrical, engineering or technical advice or instructions, financial or business advice.
Do not attempt electrical work yourself. In Australia, it is both illegal and extremely dangerous to perform unlicensed electrical work. Always engage a licensed electrician for electrical tasks.
Any tips, stories, or product mentions are based on personal experience and opinion. They are not professional advice in any field.
Sydney Street Electrical accepts no liability for any loss, injury, or damage arising from reliance on blog content.
If you need electrical services, please contact us directly — we’ll be glad to help safely and legally.
From time to time, this blog may include references to products, services, or retailers. These mentions are based on personal experience and opinion unless otherwise stated.
Sydney Street Electrical may participate in affiliate programs or receive compensation for certain product links or promotions.
Where this occurs, it will be clearly disclosed within the relevant story.
Regardless of any potential affiliation, all opinions expressed remain honest and independent. Readers should verify product details, pricing, and availability directly with the manufacturer or retailer.
$6 a Year - 10 Years Out Of A Pair of 2015 $60 Mongrel Boots From BigW
$6 a Year - 10 Years Out Of A Pair of 2015 $60 Mongrel Boots From BigW
Back in 2015, a mate of mine walked into Big W Muswellbrook and walked out with a pair of Australian-made Mongrel boots.
Price tag? About $60 he reckons. Nothing fancy I suppose, just a pretty cheap pair of work boots. However, what he got out of them is nothing short of remarkable.
For the first four years, he wore these boots 5 days per week at mine sites in the Upper Hunter Valley.
Anyone who’s spent time on site knows what that means your boots tend to cop a hiding overlong hours and most boots would be lucky to see out two years in that environment. These lasted four.
But wait, there’s more, when their “mine site career” was done, they weren’t retired, they just got demoted.
For the next six years, they became the “around the house” boots, the ones you slip on to mow the lawn or fix something in the shed etc.
Then, one chilly winter morning in the shed several weeks ago, they gave up. Not gradually, not politely, they literally fell apart while he was wearing them. The soles crumbled and separated from the uppers.
I’ve never had that happen with a pair of boots, mind you, I’ve probably never kept a pair of boots for that long.
He snapped a photo before tossing them, because he knew they’d earned a story. Ten years of use for sixty bucks. That’s $6 a year.
You can’t even buy a decent coffee for that these days.
Mongrel boots, for those who don’t know, are still made right here in Australia by Victor Footwear in Sydney.
They’ve been around since 1930, and they’re well known for their durability, especially the Zipsider range that’s become a staple for tradies. Without looking them up online, I’m guessing you’d pay closer to $150–$200 for a new pair now, depending on the style.
I did have a look at Big W online and they don’t seem to stock them anymore. I’ll have to find out where people can get them from though as even at today’s prices, if you can squeeze nearly a decade out of a pair of work boots, that’s pretty good bang for your buck.
This isn’t just a story about boots. It’s about the kind of value we rarely see anymore, products that do their job, take a beating and keep going long after you expect them to quit.
I guess the bit of this story that is probably a very good ad for Mongrel boots is that I just did a bit of research and back in 2015 when BigW did sell Mongrel boots, these were typically the bottom of the range. So, if you can get 10 years at $6 per year from a lower end Mongrel Boot, I wonder what we could get out of a top of the range pair? Just Saying!
In any event, there’s just something very satisfying knowing you got every last cent out of something.
My mate was going to post this type of story on LinkedIn himself, but when he saw I’d launched a website and it has a blog, he emailed me this picture along with a story about them and suggested I do it.
I’m glad he did, this is the type of story I want to write about on my blog because sometimes the best stories aren’t about shiny new things, they’re about the old, worn-out ones that carried us through good times and bad over many years. Just like an Aussie Made motor vehicle, tough as nails.
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