Surveillance in Sydney

Nobody plans to need an investigator. Surveillance is the most direct way to convert a suspicion into evidence. Working across Sydney, our investigators observe, follow and record without ever making themselves known, and hand you a factual account of where a person went, who they met and how long they stayed. We have been doing this since 2002 and we are not easily surprised by anything you tell us.

Sydney is the largest city in Australia and the base from which our team has worked since 2002. Call 1300 773 293 at any hour, or read on for how we handle surveillance here.

Reasons people in Sydney get in touch

An employee on workers compensation appears to be working elsewhere
A former partner is breaching a parenting arrangement
A business partner may be running a competing operation
A tenant or occupant may be subletting or misusing a property
Stock, tools or takings are going missing and you do not know who is responsible
A duty of care matter requires you to know where somebody actually goes

What Sydney is like to work in

Working in Sydney means understanding a metropolitan area that stretches from the coast to the foot of the Blue Mountains. Our operatives plan around that rather than turning up and hoping. Where a matter runs across several days we rotate vehicles and positions so that a familiar car never becomes part of the scenery.

We work regularly across Parramatta, North Sydney, Chatswood, Liverpool, Blacktown, Bondi, Manly, Penrith, Ryde and Sutherland, and we travel further into New South Wales where a matter calls for it.

What happens once you engage us in Sydney

We take a full brief, including the subject description, vehicles, addresses and the pattern you have noticed
We agree the days, hours and budget before anybody goes out, so there are no surprises
Where a job runs several days we rotate vehicles and operatives so nothing becomes familiar
You receive a progress update while the job is running, not just at the end
We stand down early and tell you when a session is producing nothing of value
A written report is delivered with an indexed log and the supporting media

Fees and how we charge

Here is how the billing works, without the vagueness. Surveillance is charged by the hour with a minimum engagement, plus travel where the job takes us outside Sydney. The real cost driver is not the hourly rate, it is how many hours are wasted watching nothing. We will tell you honestly if we think the pattern you have described means a shorter, better targeted window will get you the same answer for less. We will also tell you when we think you are about to spend money for very little return.

Surveillance and the law in New South Wales

The legal boundaries matter, and a good investigator will raise them before you do. Surveillance in a public place is generally lawful in New South Wales. What is tightly controlled is the use of devices. The Surveillance Devices Act 2007 (NSW) governs listening devices, optical devices, tracking devices and data surveillance, and it sets out when a device may and may not be used. We work strictly inside those limits, because evidence gathered outside them is worthless to you and creates a problem you did not have before. Getting this wrong does not just cost you the evidence. It can expose you personally, which is the opposite of why you called.

This is general information rather than legal advice. If your matter is already before a court, speak to your solicitor about what evidence will assist and we will work to that brief.

Who we are

You are entitled to know who you are hiring. Sydney Private Investigations has been operating since 2002 and trades as GORA Investigations Pty Ltd, ABN 34 600 932 438. We are a licensed agency. We hold NSW Master Licence 412080174. Every operative who works on your matter holds a current individual licence.

We do not use aggressive sales scripts and we do not chase people who decide against proceeding. If the answer is no, that is a perfectly fine answer.

Frequently asked questions

Is surveillance legal in New South Wales?

Observing a person in a public place is generally lawful. The restrictions apply to devices. The Surveillance Devices Act 2007 (NSW) sets out the rules for listening devices, cameras, trackers and data surveillance, and we operate inside them at all times.

Will the person know they are being watched?

No. Covert surveillance only works if it stays covert. Our operatives use unmarked vehicles, change position and rotate where a job runs over several days.

Can I use the footage in court?

Evidence gathered lawfully and documented properly is generally admissible. We record continuously, keep the original files unaltered and can supply a statement from the operative if a matter proceeds.

Do you cover regional areas outside Sydney?

Yes. We travel throughout New South Wales and charge travel separately so you can see exactly what you are paying for.

How quickly can you start?

For most jobs in Sydney we can deploy within twenty four to forty eight hours, and sooner for urgent matters.

More of our work in Sydney

We also cover Surveillance in Newcastle, Surveillance in Wollongong, Surveillance in Central Coast.

Talk to an investigator about Sydney

Call 1300 773 293. The line is answered twenty four hours a day. Tell us what is happening and we will tell you plainly whether an investigation is the right step, what it would involve and what it would cost.

If you would rather write to us, use the contact form and we will come back to you the same day.