About My Rates
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Your rates notice
Ratepayers are able to pay their council rates either for the entire year or in four equal instalments. A notice will be issued approximately one month prior to the instalment date. Please note it is the ratepayers' responsibility to ensure that rate payments, including post and BPAY, reach Council by the due date.
Click here to find out about single farm enterprises and valuations
The four instalment dates for 2025/26 are:
- 1st quarter - 11 September 2026
- 2nd quarter - 4 December 2026
- 3rd quarter - 5 March 202-7
- 4th quarter - 4 June 2027
Rates may be paid:
- via the Council's Credit Card payment facility. Have your Bpay Reference Number handy and your VISA or Mastercard (American Express not accepted) then click pay rates online.
- by post to Council's office;
- Australia Post - in person at any post office, by phone 131 816 or by internet - go to www.postbillpay.com.au;
- by BPAY ie internet or telephone banking, using a debit or credit card, please contact your bank for detail;
- by Direct Debit (see more information below);
- in person, at the Council office during the hours of 9.00 am to 5.00 pm, Monday to Friday (excluding Public Holidays).
Any ratepayer who may, or is likely to, experience difficulty with meeting the standard payment arrangements is invited to contact the Council office on 8862 0800 to discuss alternative payment arrangements. Such enquiries are treated confidentially by the Council. Find out more about Council's measures to support those facing financial difficulty.
Differential Rates and Fixed Charge
We have developed our Replace with update based on an average rate increase of 6% to help fund the renewal and development of our infrastructure and maintain or improve services. The amount to be paid will vary depending on changes to property valuations.
Council has adopted differential rating and a fixed charge. The differential rate paid is calculated by multiplying the value of your property with an amount per dollar - for 2025/26 these rates are:
- RESIDENTIAL $0.2895 cents in the dollar for rateable properties with a land use of category .
- C O M M E R C I A L (SHOP, OFFICE, OTHER) $0.368 cents in the dollar for rateable properties with a land use of categories
- INDUSTRIAL (LIGHT, OTHER) $0.388 cents in the dollar for rateable properties with a land use of categories
- PRIMARY PRODUCTION $0.1841 cents in the dollar for rateable properties with a land use of category
- VACANT LAND $0.31 cents in the dollar for rateable properties with a land use of category.
- OTHER $0.35 cents in the dollar for rateable properties with a land use of category
The Council has imposed a fixed charge on rateable properties of $376. This ensures all ratepayers are contributing to Council service delivery.
Service Charges
Community Wastewater Management System (CWMS) Levy
Council provides a Community Wastewater Management System (CWMS) to defined properties within the Wakefield region.
Council is required to recover the cost of operating and maintaining the service, as well as any capital expenditure, through the imposition of a service charge.
The total CWMS service charge reflects the cost of the service over its useful life. To achieve this, Council’s CWMS service charge will be increased by 6% in 2026–27 to:
$528 for each unoccupied property unit
$684 for each occupied property unit
Council charges separately for this service as it applies only to particular properties. It would be unreasonable for all ratepayers to fund the CWMS use, maintenance, and replacement.
Mobile Garbage Bin Service Charge
Council provides a mobile garbage bin collection and disposal service within defined areas of the region.
The service charge is set in accordance with legislation to recover the cost of providing this service.
No additional cost over last year’s service, which is a reflection of the green waste service reducing waste going to landfill.
$288 for a two-bin service (commercial businesses)
$325 for a three-bin service (residential and other)
Residential services consist of:
Two 240-litre bins, (green and yellow)
One 140-litre bin, (red)
Regional Landscape Levy
Council is required under the Landscape South Australia Act 2019 to collect the Regional Landscape Levy on behalf of the Landscape Administration Fund, for distribution to the Northern and Yorke Landscape Board. Council does not retain this revenue or determine how it is spent.
The following levy applies for 2026–27 across the following land use categories:
Residential, Vacant and Other
Commercial
Industrial
Primary Production
The total Landscape Levy is $456,816.
This is based on a rate of 0.008549 cents in the dollar of rateable capital value.
We have developed our 2025/26 Annual Community Plan based on an average rate increase of 6% to help fund the renewal and development of our infrastructure and maintain or improve services. The amount to be paid will vary depending on changes to property valuations.
Council has adopted differential rating and a fixed charge. The differential rate paid is calculated by multiplying the value of your property with an amount per dollar - for 2025/26 these rates are:
- RESIDENTIAL $0.3144 cents in the dollar for rateable properties with a land use of category .
- C O M M E R C I A L (SHOP, OFFICE, OTHER) $0.372 cents in the dollar for rateable properties with a land use of categories
- INDUSTRIAL (LIGHT, OTHER) $0.372 cents in the dollar for rateable properties with a land use of categories
- PRIMARY PRODUCTION $0.1891 cents in the dollar for rateable properties with a land use of category
- VACANT LAND $0.337 cents in the dollar for rateable properties with a land use of category.
- OTHER $0.360 cents in the dollar for rateable properties with a land use of category
The Council has imposed a fixed charge on rateable properties of $358. This ensures all ratepayers are contributing to Council service delivery.
The Local Government Act 1999 allows Councils to raise revenue by applying rates. We use the capital value of properties - provided by the SA Valuer-General each year - to value land within the Council region as this provides the fairest method of distributing the rate burden across all ratepayers.
Council collects the Regional Landscape Levy (RLL) on behalf of the State Government's Landscape South Australia Northern/Yorke.
Download an information brochure.
Understanding the landscape levy
This levy consolidates a number of previous costs associated with animal and plant control, soils management, revegetation etc and funds vital RLL projects. It is calculated based on the capital value of rateable properties.
For more information about the projects your regional RLL levy helps fund, please phone Natural Resources Centre, Clare on 8841 3400, or visit their website https://www.landscape.sa.gov.au/ny/home
Direct Debit
Set and forget! Here by popular demand, Direct Debit is now avaliable. Pay annually, quarterly, or as discussed with our Rates Officer, who will step you through the process. Call the Council Office on 8862 0800 to discuss your options and the sign-up requirements.
Calculate Rates
Single Farm Enterprises
- Are you a farmer?
- Do you have two or more pieces of rateable land?
- Are these pieces of land all used as farm land / primary production?
- And are these pieces of land owned or occupied by the same person/s?
- Have you subdivided, purchased or sold land this financial year?
If you answered 'yes' to these questions you may be eligible to apply to have your farm classified as a single farm enterprise. This means your single farm enterprise would attract only one fixed charge against all of your land.
Applications will need to be received by the end of April (unless stated otherwise) to be considered for inclusion in the following financial year. If a single farm enterprise application has previously been approved and no changes as listed above have been made throughout this financial year, a new application is not necessary.
If you believe you are eligible for the single farm enterprise or have any queries, please contact our Rates Officer on 8862 0800. Application forms are available on our website or can be requested by phoning the Council office.
Differences between Single Farm Enterprise and Adjoining Property?
An adjoining property, also referred to as 'contiguous land' occurs when two properties share a common boundary. The parcels must also be owned by the same owner/s and occupied by the same occupier/s and then Council may only charge one fixed charge. This year’s fixed charge is $350 therefore your account should show $175 on each assessment. However, this is not applicable to shops, units or rental properties as generally the occupier is different to the owner of the land.
It is Council’s responsibility to identify each adjoining assessment to ensure only one fixed charge is equally applied over both accounts. However, if you think we may not have your assessments correctly recorded, please contact our Rates Officer on 8862 0800.
Single Farm Enterprises (SFE) are also a way of reducing the amount of fixed charges a farmer may have to pay. The properties do not need to be adjoining or held in the same names, but must be farmed as one enterprise. In short, all individuals listed on the application must be consistent for each and every assessment and if, for example, a house is occupied by someone not listed on the enterprise, then that assessment will not be eligible.
It is the land owner's responsibility to inform Council of any changes to the single farm enterprise (e.g. house or land is later leased/rented or occupied by another party not forming part of the existing enterprise).
Adoption of Valuations
Council has adopted the most recent valuations made by the Valuer-General. If a ratepayer is dissatisfied with the valuation made by the Valuer-General, then the ratepayer may object to the Valuer-General in writing, within 60 days of receiving the notice of the valuation, provided they have not: (a) previously received a notice of this valuation under the Local Government Act 1999, in which case the objection period is 60 days from the receipt of the first notice; or (b) previously had an adoption to the valuation considered by the Valuer-General. Council has no role in this process.
A written objection to valuation must set out the grounds for objection. Differential rates (and/or charges) imposed by rates (and/or charges) are still due and payable by the due date even if an objection has been lodged. Objections are to be forwarded to: State Valuation Office, GPO Box 1354, ADELAIDE SA 5001 or by email. Or call 1300 653 345.
Please note that the lodgement of an objection does not change the due date for the payment of rates. Valuation Objection Forms can be downloaded from the Land Services Group website.
Notional Values
Certain properties may be eligible for a notional value under the Valuation of Land Act 1971 where the property is the principal place of residence of a ratepayer. This can relate to certain primary production land or where there is State heritage recognition. A notional value is generally less than the capital value and this will result in reduced rates, unless the minimum rate already applies. Application for a notional value must be made the Office of the Valuer-General.
Want to know what you get for your rates?
There are a series of 'Fact Sheets' available about council rates from the Local Government Association.
Changing Your Details
We have two ways to update your details:
- Fill out our online form - Change of Details Form
- Fill out the Application to Change Address or Personal Details
(84 kb) and email it to Council.