The collection of rates is imperative to the delivery of more than 100 council services to the community including road services, parks and garden, libraries, immunisation and community assets.
Your rate notice is made up of a rate charge, a municipal charge, a waste charge and a fire service levy.
The fire services levy is collected on behalf of the Victorian Government.
The municipal charge and waste charge are set by council’s annual budget.
Your rate charge is calculated on the capital improved value of your property.
This is determined by property valuations which are calculated annually by the independent Victorian Valuer General.
This year, council will increase its overall rates by 1.75 per cent in line with the Victorian Government rate cap.
This does not mean the rates for each individual property will increase by 1.75 per cent.
This year there has been an overall increase in property values across the municipality; general land has increased by 24.53 per cent, farmland increased by 26.47 per cent and commercial and industrial land increased by 18.25 per cent and 12.05 per cent respectively.
Your property value determines your share of the total rates bill.
The key factor in determining your share is how your property value has moved in comparison to average movement of properties across the shire.
Essentially, higher valued properties pay a bigger share, while lower valued properties pay a smaller share.
Council offers many methods to pay your rate notice: either in full by February 15 each year or pay in quarterly instalments.
These instalments are:
- Instalment one — due September 30
- Instalment two — due November 30
- Instalment three — due February 28
- Instalment four — due May 31
To pay by instalments, simply pay the first instalment by 30 September — the due date — then an instalment notice will be sent to you prior to the next three instalments.
You can pay your rates via council’s website, at any of council’s customer service centres, via BPay or BPay View or by calling council on 1300 666 535.
Please note that paying your rates notice at Australia post offices is no longer offered.
If you are having problems in paying your rates due to the removal of Australia Post or you’re experiencing financial difficulties, contact the shire’s customer service team on 1300 666 535 so they can provide further assistance and explore your options.
For those experiencing financial difficulties, an online application form is also available on council’s website under ‘Rates’.
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