Rates and Levies

Council rates and levies are used to fund many council services including libraries, community centres, replacement and maintenance of roads, pathways, parks and gardens, the collection and disposal of waste, environmental initiatives and other community activities and projects.

Longreach Shire Council issues rate notices in February each year for the period 1 January to 30 June, and in September for the billing period 1 July to 31 December.

Supplementary rate notices may also be issued when there have been adjustments to the rates and charges previously levied.

A full list of rates and charges is available in Council's Revenue Statement.

Fees and Charges Schedule

For further information, contact Council on 4658 4111.

  • Online

    Pay Your Bills with Mastercard or Visa

    Your Reference Number can be found at the bottom of your Rate Notice.

    Council accepts MasterCard and Visa cards only.

    Credit Card by Phone

    Phone 4658 4111 and follow the prompts. You will need the Biller code and your reference number. Please refer to your rates notice under 'Payment Options'.

    Council accepts both MasterCard and Visa.

    BPAY

    Call or log on to your participating financial institution to make a payment from your nominated account. Please quote the BPAY details shown on the bottom of your Rate Notice. Please note that you can longer BPAY from your credit card.

    Mail

    Send your cheque or money order with the tear-off section of your Rate Notice to:

    Longreach Regional Council
    PO Box 472
    Longreach QLD 4730

    Please make cheque/money order payable to Longreach Regional Council.

    Council Offices

    Present your rate notice payment at Council's Customer Service Counter at the below addresses between 8.30am and 4.30pm, Monday to Friday.

    Longreach – 96A Eagle Street

    Isisford – 20 St Mary Street

    Ilfracombe - 1 Devon Street (Between the hours of 9.00am and 2.00pm)

    You can make a payment by cash, cheque, debit or credit card. 

    Payment Difficulties

    If you are experiencing financial difficulties and cannot pay your notice in full by the due date, please phone Council on (07) 4658 8900 or email at rates@longreach.qld.gov.au to avoid recovery action.

  • To update your contact details for all correspondences with Council, please complete and return the Change of Contact Information Form.

  • Rates Payment Discount

    If you pay within 30 days you will receive a 10% discount on your general rates including certain services and utilities.

    To apply for the discount on a payment made after the due date, please make a request in writing. Council will consider approving these requests depending on the situation.

    When making a request, you should:

    1. pay the rates as shown on the rate notice
    2. submit a discount on late rate payment request
    3. attach any supporting documents.

    Pensioner Concessions

    Eligible Pensioner Concession Card holders receive assistance in the payment of their rates and charges via a Council rebate on their principal place of residence only. This remission is in addition to the State Government Pensioner Rate Subsidy Scheme.

    Eligibility for these rebates is determined by the criteria for eligibility set for the State Government Pensioner Rate Subsidy Scheme. For further information please visit http://www.qld.gov.au/community/cost-of-living-support/concessions/

    How to apply for a pensioner concession

    To make an application for a pensioner concession, please complete the Pensioner Rates Remission Form.

    Return the form in person to one of Council's offices or you can send the form to Council by:

    Post:

    Longreach Regional Council
    PO Box 472
    Longreach QLD 4730

    Email: council@longreach.qld.gov.au

    Please note: If you wish to post or email your pensioner rebate form:

    • A verified copy of your concession card must be included with this application.
    • Valid concession cards include either:
      • Queensland Pensioner Concessions Card issued by Centrelink or the Department of Veteran Affairs
      • Veterans' Affairs Repatriation Health Gold Card issued by the Department of Veteran Affairs.

  • A property search contains detailed rates and charges information required for settlement purposes and information that the purchaser needs to know e.g. Current Financial Years rates and charges; including applicable issue periods, payments received and interest charged or accrued on the property account; etc.

    • Fast Tracked property search - provided in two (2) working days from receipt of application and payment.
    • Standard property search – allow a minimum of seven (7) working days from receipt of application and payment.

    To obtain a property search, please complete a Property Search Request Form and return to Council with payment of the appropriate fee.
    Payment is required on application. If submitting the form digitally, Council's Customer Service department will call you for payment via credit card.

  • Levies

    Rates contain levies set by council. The key environment, public transport, and tourism levies provide vital project funding to protect and enhance the sustainability of the region.

    Details of other levies are contained in the Revenue Statement.

    Environment Levy

    The Environment Levy contributes to sustaining a healthy environment by allowing Council to fund a range of strategic environmental management initiatives across the region. Every property throughout the region is charged $64.00 per half year. In this way, Council and the community are working together to protect the long-term health of the environment.

    Emergency Services Levy

    The Emergency Services Levy is not a council charge. Councils throughout Queensland levy this charge on behalf of the State Government and remit all revenue collected to the State Government, who use it to fund the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service and Emergency Management Queensland. Information about the State Emergency Management Levy can be found on the QFES website.

    Special Charges

    Control of Pests

    The Control of Pets Special Charge is the provision of pest control services through coordinated baiting programs to assist with the control of wild dogs and wild pigs on rural land and will improve the viability of and benefits from the land for the occupier. The rateable land to which the special charge applies is all rural land within the Longreach Regional Council area with an area greater than 25 hectares, this has an annual charge of 2.59 cents per hectare for the financial year ending 30 June 2024.

    Longreach Wild Dog Exclusion Fence Scheme Special Charge (LWDEFS)

    The Overall Plan for the LWDEFS Charge was adopted by Council at its 21 July 2016 Budget Meeting. This service, facility or activity is the borrowing of funds to implement the project, purchase materials and construct exclusion fencing that controls pest animals for the identified rateable land to which the charge will apply. The LWDEFS charge will be levied and paid over 20 years for each of the parcels of identified rateable land from the commencement of the arrangement with each property.

  • General Rates

    Every rateable property in the Longreach Regional Council region is levied a general rate. As Council uses a system of differential general rates all properties in the region are classified into one of 55 general rate categories, each with its own rate in the dollar and minimum general rate. The general rate for a property is calculated by multiplying the rateable value of the land, as determined by the Department of Resources, by the rate in the dollar for the relevant category. If the calculated amount is below the minimum for that category, then the minimum general rate is levied.

    For enquiries about the rateable value of your property contact the Department of Resources.

    The Rating Category Statement lists all differential general rate categories. For details on the criteria used to define each general rate category, please refer to the Table of Rating Categories found in the Rating Category Statement 2023-24.

    If you are not satisfied with the category allocated to your property you can object but only if you believe that, based on Council's criteria for categorising rateable land, your property should be in another category.  An objection must be lodged with Council using the Review of Rates & Charges Form within 30 days from the date of issue on your Rate Notice.

    If you lodge an objection, the levied rates and charges are still due and payable. If the differential category is altered as a result of the objection council will make an adjustment to the rates and advise you in writing.

    Interest

    Council charges interest on rates and charges not paid by the due date. Interest charges are 11.64% per year compounding daily.

    Other Fees and Charges

    Council has the power to conduct business activities and make fees and charges for services and facilities it provides on this basis. Other fees and charges are made where Council provides a service and the other party to the transaction can choose whether or not to avail itself of the service. These fees and charges will reflect full cost recovery plus an administration fee plus a small profit margin. Other Fees and Charges are listed in Council’s Register of Fees and Charges.

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