Rates explained

Your rates bill includes different costs. Read below to find out how each of these costs is calculated.

Rates and charges

How your rates bill is calculated

Each year Council determines how much it needs to raise from rates and charges to fund and improve our Shire’s facilities and services.

Council then divides this required revenue by the total Capital Improved Value (CIV) of all rateable properties to create a rate in the dollar. (This rate cannot exceed the rate cap created by Victoria’s Essential Services Commission.) This rate is then applied to the Capital Improved Value of your property to determine your general rates.

Different rates are applied to different property types. This is called differential rating.

Waste management (fixed) charges, plus the Victorian Government’s Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund, are added to create your total rates bill.

Watch this video for further clarification on how your rates are calculated and how rate capping works. 

  

Waste and other charges

 In addition to your general rates, other charges may also be included in your rates bill.

In 2025/26 they are:

Waste Management charge $230

This is levied on all properties to help fund the cost of maintaining waste disposal facilities in the Shire. It is not used to fund landfill/general waste collection and disposal.

Kerbside landfill/general rubbish – TOWNSHIP- collection $120 (Red-lidded bin)

This covers the cost of collecting and disposing of household rubbish from all dwellings within the township defined rubbish collection areas in our Shire. The charge is compulsory for dwellings whether the service is used or not. The service uses a 120-litre wheelie bin collected fortnightly.

Kerbside landfill/general rubbish – RURAL - collection $140 (Red-lidded bin)

This charge covers the cost of collecting and disposing of household rubbish from all dwellings within defined collections areas. This charge is compulsory for dwellings who have not opted out of the fortnightly collection service when it was introduced. A 140-litre wheelie bin is collected fortnightly.

Kerbside mixed recycling collection $110 (Yellow-lidded bin)

This charge covers the cost of collecting and processing mixed recycling in a 240-litre wheelie bin, provided by Council, fortnightly. This service is for township, rural and commercial properties. Commercial properties can elect to have this service to make their own arrangements for it to be collected privately.

Kerbside food and garden organics collection $150 (Lime green-lidded bin)

This charge covers the cost of collecting and processing (locally in Creswick) organic material in a 120-litre wheelie bin, provided by Council, weekly. This service is for township properties. The service is also provided to those commercial properties (within township boundaries) who elect to have this service.

Kerbside landfill/general rubbish – COMMERCIAL- collection $485 (Red-lidded bin)

Council general rubbish service to commercial properties is optional. Operators of these properties can choose to make their own arrangements to have their rubbish collected privately. However, where the Council service is used a 240-litre wheelie bin is provided for weekly collection. For more information on our commercial services visit commercial waste.

Emergency Services & Volunteers Fund - Fixed and Variable

From 1 July 2025, the emergency services and volunteers fund (ESVF) replaces the fire services property levy (FSPL) and will be collected by Hepburn Shire Council on behalf of the Victorian Government through council’s annual rates and valuation notices.  

This new fund aims to support a broader range of emergency services that respond to fires, floods, storms and other emergencies whilst continuing to fund Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) and Country Fire Authority (CFA). 

It is important to note that Council is not raising any additional revenue from the levy. Councils have been allocated as the collection agency on behalf of the Victorian State Government and it will be shown as a separate charge on rate notices from 1 July 2025. 

Eligible CFA and Victoria State Emergency Services (VICSES) volunteers, as well as pensioners, veterans, and single farm enterprises, will receive rebates. CFA and VICSES rebates will be administered through an application process directly with the Victorian State Government. 

How is ESVF calculated?

Like the FSPL, the ESVF will be calculated based on a fixed charge that varies by property type, and a variable charge based on property type and value. 

  1. The fixed charge is $136 for residential properties and $275 for non-residential properties.  

  1. The variable charge based on the property’s capital improved value (CIV). A variable rate dependent on the property’s classification is multiplied by the CIV.  

The current rates for 2025/26 can be viewed here.  

Rebates, exemptions and concessions 

Eligible pensioners are entitled to a $50 rebate against the ESVF on their principal place of residence (PPR).  

Primary production properties comprising multiple land parcels may be eligible for a single farm enterprise exemption, which means you only pay the fixed charge on one property within the enterprise.  

In addition, eligible volunteers from the CFA and VICSES will be able to claim a rebate for the ESVF payable on their PPR or a farm they own, even if the farm is not their PPR. For further information on the eligible volunteer rebate please contact the Department of Government Services.  

To learn more about the Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund, please visit the State Revenue Office website here. 

Municipal and Environmental Charge

The fixed fee for both the Municipal Charge and the Environmental Charge has been abolished.

How to read your rates notice

How-to-read-your-rates-notice.jpg(PDF, 289KB)

Differential rating

A differential rate is simply the rate type applied to your property based on how the property is used, i.e. farm, general, commercial etc. The following are the different rate types.

Differential rates change annually. See the property types and their different rates, applied as cents/your property’s Capital Improved Value, below.

 Differential Rate Type Rate = cents/CIV 2024-25  Rate = cents/CIV 2025-26 

General Rate – Residential

Rateable land used solely for residential purposes.

0.0022170

0.0024135

Farm Rate

Rateable land identified and defined as farmland and which is used solely for the purpose of farming as defined in section 2(1) of the Valuation of Land Act 1960 and is deemed to be a property for primary production purposes as accepted by the Australian Taxation Office.

“Farmland” means any rateable land -
a) That is not less than 2 hectares in area; and

b) That is used primarily for grazing (including agistment), dairying, pig-farming, poultry-farming, fish-farming, tree-farming, bee-keeping, viticulture, horticulture, fruit-growing or the growing of crops of any kind or for any combination of those activities; and

c) That is used by a business:

I. That has significant and substantial commercial purpose or character; and
II. That seeks to make a profit on a continuous or repetitive basis from its activities on the land; and
III. That is making a profit from its activities on the land, or that has a reasonable prospect of making a profit from its activities on the land if it continues to operate in the way that it is operating.

To be eligible for this rate, apply in writing to Council and provide information that shows your property meets the definition of farmland.

Apply for the farm rate

0.0014410

0.0015688

Commercial and Industrial Rate

Rateable land used solely for commercial purposes, for example, shops, restaurants, service stations, hotels, motels, short-term accommodation, offices, warehouses, factories, depots and similar commercial and industrial establishments.

0.0025717

0.0027997

Recreation Rate

Rateable land where sporting, recreational or cultural activities are conducted, including buildings which may be ancillary to such activities, for example, golf and bowling clubs.

0.0011085

0.0012068

Mixed Use Rate

Rateable land which is not used solely for residential or commercial or farmland or industrial or recreational but is a combination of residential and at least one other category. An example is bed and breakfast accommodation where the owner also lives on the property.

0.0025717

0.0027997

Trust for Nature Rate

Rateable land which has a Trust for Nature Covenant applying to the land.

0.0011085

0.0012068

Vacant Land Rate – Township

Rateable land which is not part of a commercial or industrial or farming enterprise or recreational purpose or where there is no residence. This land must fall within township boundaries.

0.0027712

0.0030169

Vacant Land Rate – Other

Rateable land which is not part of a commercial or industrial or farming enterprise or recreational purpose or where there is no residence. This applies to all vacant land that does not meet the definition of “township” above.

0.0022170

0.0024135

Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund

From 1 July 2025, the emergency services and volunteers fund (ESVF) replaces the fire services property levy (FSPL) and will be collected by Hepburn Shire Council on behalf of the Victorian Government through council’s annual rates and valuation notices.  

This new fund aims to support a broader range of emergency services that respond to fires, floods, storms and other emergencies whilst continuing to fund Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) and Country Fire Authority (CFA). 

It is important to note that Council is not raising any additional revenue from the levy. Councils have been allocated as the collection agency on behalf of the Victorian State Government and it will be shown as a separate charge on rate notices from 1 July 2025. 

Eligible CFA and Victoria State Emergency Services (VICSES) volunteers, as well as pensioners, veterans, and single farm enterprises, will receive rebates. CFA and VICSES rebates will be administered through an application process directly with the Victorian State Government. 

How is ESVF calculated? 

Like the FSPL, the ESVF will be calculated based on a fixed charge that varies by property type, and a variable charge based on property type and value. 

  1. The fixed charge is $136 for residential properties and $275 for non-residential properties.  

  1. The variable charge based on the property’s capital improved value (CIV). A variable rate dependent on the property’s classification is multiplied by the CIV.  

The current rates for 2025/26 can be viewed here.

Rebates, exemptions and concessions 

Eligible pensioners are entitled to a $50 rebate against the ESVF on their principal place of residence (PPR).  

Primary production properties comprising multiple land parcels may be eligible for a single farm enterprise exemption, which means you only pay the fixed charge on one property within the enterprise.  

In addition, eligible volunteers from the CFA and VICSES will be able to claim a rebate for the ESVF payable on their PPR or a farm they own, even if the farm is not their PPR. For further information on the eligible volunteer rebate please contact the Department of Government Services.

To learn more about the Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund, please visit the State Revenue Office website here.

 

Rates assistance

Help is available if you are struggling to pay your Council rates. Find out how and where to seek support to meet your rates payments.

  

 

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