Understanding your rates notice

Rates fund a range of vital community services and capital works projects. To view a breakdown of how rates are spent view our Budget at a Glance Brochure(PDF, 416KB).

Reading your rates notice

 The Understanding Your Rates Notice(PDF, 372KB) brochure explains the commonly used part of the annual rates notice.

Rates are calculated based on property valuations and in accordance with Council’s Rating Strategy 2025/26 and the Local Government Act 1989. The value of your property is listed on your rates notice as capital improved value (CIV). Multiplying the appropriate differential with your CIV will give you your rates charge. 

For example, the calculation for a residential property worth $750,000 would be:

Capital Improved Value $750,000 x Rate in dollar 0.00209541 = $1,571.56

Plus Waste Service Charge   = $348.95

Total Rates and Charges        = $1,920.51

There is a separate amount listed for the Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund (ESVF). The reformed ESVF, collected with council rates, will incorporate a fixed charge component of $136.00 for residential properties and $275.00 for all other properties plus a charge based on the capital improved value (CIV) of the property.

The state government has created an online calculator to determine the levy based on the CIV of properties. The CIV is found on your rates notice. For further information about the ESVF, please visit www.sro.vic.gov.au/esvf

Paying your rates

Rates and valuation notices are issued in August/September annually, with the instalment one payment due on 30 September.

Instalment reminder notices are generally sent three to four weeks before the due date for each instalment as follows:

30 November

28 February

31 May

The instalment amounts are listed on your rates notice. If you make a payment of the full amount on the first instalment date, no further notices will be issued until the following financial year. All payment options are listed on your rates notice and include credit card, BPAY, Post Billpay, direct debit(, 0B), EFTPOS, cash and cheque.