Calculation of Rates

Council rates are a property tax and are not a fee for service.

As rates are a tax, the rates you pay may not directly relate to the services you use or have access to.

Council can only collect the amount of money required to provide services and infrastructure in their annual budget. Each ratepayer contributes based on their relative property valuation. We calculate rates for each rateable property by multiplying the value of the property (Capital Value as assessed by the State Valuer General) by the ‘rate in the dollar’ and adding the fixed charge component.

There are different types of ‘rate in the dollar’ and they depend on the type of land use. The ‘rate in the dollar’ figures for 2026/27 are outlined below:

Council also imposes a fixed charge against each rateable assessment to ensure all ratepayers contribute to basic services at a reasonable level. In 2026/27 the fixed charge has increased to $468.

In 2026/27 the average residential rate increase (excluding CWMS, Waste Management and Landscape Levy) will be 5.3%