Rates information

Council funds many services and facilities through rates payments. These services include:

community services including libraries
local roads and transport
parks and gardens
environment
economic initiatives.

A full list of rates and charges is available in council's 2024-2025 Revenue Statement (PDF, 6MB).

Council issues rates notices twice a year:

in January for the six-month period from 1 January to 30 June
in July for the six-month period from 1 July to 31 December.

Additional supplementary rate notices may also be issued when there have been adjustments to the rates and charges levied in January or July.

Rate Notice supporting document for January 2025

Schedule of Rates 2024-25 (PDF, 1.5MB)

Supplementary Rate Notice supporting documents 2024–25

Rate Notice supporting document for July 2024

Schedule of Rates 2024-25 (PDF, 331KB)

Land valuations

The value of your land, along with the main or primary land use, is the basis for the calculation of the General Rate. The Department of Resources (DR) sets this rateable value.

For valuation enquiries please contact DR.

There are 49 Differential General Rate categories determined for 2024-25. These categories are detailed in the 2024-2025 Revenue Statement (PDF, 6MB). Every property in the region has been allocated one of these 49 categories. Each category has a 'cents in the dollar rate'. Differential General Rates are calculated by multiplying the rateable value of a property by the category's 'cents in the dollar rate'. The minimum charge applies when the resulting amount is below the set minimum Differential General Rate for the category.

Differential General Rate category objections

If you believe your Differential General Rate category is incorrect you may object. The only grounds for objection is that you believe your property should be in another category. Objections should be lodged within 30 days from the issue of the rate notice using the Differential General Rate objection form (DOCX, 215KB).

If you lodge an objection the rates and charges levied continue to be due and payable by the due date.

If you do not wish to pay in full and have no outstanding rates from a prior rating period, there is also the option to set up an interest free payment arrangement. Payment arrangements will not incur interest charges when payments are maintained.

If the Differential General Rate category is changed as an outcome of the objection, council will adjust the rates and advise you in writing.

If the Differential General Rate is not changed as an outcome of the objection, in accordance with section 92 of the Local Government Regulation 2012, the landowner may appeal to the Land Court within 42 days of receiving the objection outcome from Council.

Differential General Rate category objections that are not related to your principal place of residence

Please refer to the full definitions of each Differential General Rate category as detailed in the Differential General Rates (Section 3.4 Table 1 of the 2024-2025 Revenue Statement (PDF, 6MB)) before lodging an objection using the Differential General Rate objection form (DOCX, 215KB).

Differential General Rate category objections for a Principal place of residence (PPR)

A principal place of residence (PPR) is defined as a residential dwelling or unit where at least one owner/ratepayer permanently resides. A detailed definition is outlined in the 2024-2025 Revenue Statement (PDF, 6MB). The rating category for a PPR property is different to a property where the owners do not reside. The categories recognise the different use of the land.

To object to a non-PPR category complete a Differential General Rate objection form (DOCX, 215KB). You are required to supply supporting documents as proof of residency.

Note: specific supporting documents are required if your ownership is under a Company or Trust. Refer to the Differential General Rate objection form (DOCX, 215KB) for details.

Differential General Rate category objections for Transitory Accommodation - non-domiciled property use by owner

A non-domiciled property is defined as a property that is not the owner’s declared residential address and the Differential General Rate category is one of the following 16RT, 16UT, 17RT, 17UT, 18RT, 18UT, 19RT, 19UT, 27T, 29T. For further details refer to the 2024-2025 Revenue Statement (PDF, 6MB).

An owner of a non-domiciled property who has exclusively used the property for 28 days or more in a 6-month rating period may seek a Differential General Rate category adjustment for the period of their use. Complete the Differential General Rate objection form – Transitory Accommodation non-domiciled property owner (DOCX, 273KB).

Council will accept one Transitory Accommodation objection form per 6-month rating period. Objections are required to be submitted for the July 2024 to December 2024 rating period before the 30 June 2025 and for the January 2025 to June 2025 rating period submitted before 31 August 2025.

Interest

Interest charges will be applied to all overdue rates or charges under section 133 of the Local Government Regulation 2012. The interest will be compound interest, calculated on daily rates. For a day on or after 1 July 2024 the interest rate is 12.35% per annum. To avoid interest charges, you must either pay your rates in full by the due date or establish an arrangement to pay your rates by instalments (see 'Payment arrangement' below) prior to the due date on the rate notice.