Frequently asked questions

Under Victorian legislation, councils must use property values as the basis for calculating general rates. Towong Shire Council, in line with most Victorian councils, uses the Capital Improved Value (CIV) approach to calculating your rates. The CIV is the total market value of your land plus buildings and other improvements. Your rates are calculated by multiplying the rate in the dollar for your property type by the CIV of your property.

Example: CIV: $300,000
Rate in the dollar: 0.3384 cents
Annual Rates: $300,000 x 0.003384 = $1,015.20

Council has five different rates in the dollar for five different categories of rateable land being residential, rural residential, rural, business, and undeveloped residential.

More information is detailed in Council’s Budget.

Your property is valued annually by an independent professional valuer appointed by the State Valuer General.

Please contact Council if you wish to lodge an objection. Objections may be lodged within two months of the issue date of your rates and valuation notice.

In addition to general rates, a typical rates notice includes:

• Municipal Charge: A flat charge covering some of Council’s administrative costs.
• Kerbside Collection Charge: Covers the cost of collection of waste from your property.
• Waste Management Facilities Charge: Covers the general management of waste disposal and recycling activities across the Shire, such as the Corryong Landfill and Resource Recovery Centres.
• Fire Services Property Levy: Collected on behalf of the Victorian Government to fund fire services. For more information, visit the State Revenue Office website.

You'll need to pay your rates in instalments throughout the year.

Instalment dates

Rates instalments are due by the following dates:

• First instalment: 30 September
• Second instalment: 30 November
• Third instalment: 28 February
• Fourth instalment: 31 May

Reminder notices are sent for the second, third and fourth instalments. Late or overdue payments will attract interest charges.

Rates can be paid in a number of different ways.

BPay

Our preferred method to receive your payment is through the BPay system. Contact your bank, credit union or building society to make rate payments directly from your cheque or savings account. Quote the biller code and bill number shown on the front of your rates notice.

In person

Pay by cheque, cash or eftpos at the Council offices in Tallangatta or Corryong. VISA and Mastercard are also available, but may attract a service charge.

Mail

Cheques payable to Towong Shire Council and marked not negotiable can be mailed to:

Towong Shire Council
PO Box 55
Tallangatta VIC 3700

Australia Post

Visit the Post Billbay website to pay your rates online.

You can also pay in person at any post office, or by phone on 13 18 16.

Have you moved house? Find out how to update your postal details – or switch to receiving notices by email – below.

Update your details

If your postal address is changing, please complete our Change of Mailing Address Form (PDF, 213KB).

Switch to paperless notices

Sick of collecting paper? Email rates notices are simple and environmentally friendly. To register to receive your rates notices by email, please complete our Register for Email Rates Notices Form (PDF, 555KB).

Council currently has a COVID-19 Financial Hardship Policy in place to assist those facing financial hardship. This policy provides flexibility through payment plans or deferment without interest being applied.

If you're experiencing financial hardship, contact our Property and Rates team on 1300 365 222 to discuss an option that works for you.

If you hold one of the following pension concession cards, you may be entitled to a rebate on your rates and the Fire Services Property Levy:

• Pensioner Concession Card issued by Centrelink or Dept of Veterans' Affairs
• Dept of Veterans' Affairs Gold Card - War Widow
• Dept of Veterans' Affairs Gold Card - Totally and Permanently Incapacitated

To claim a concession on your municipal rates and charges, you must make sure:

• you have an eligible concession card and your card is valid at the time of application
• you're the person responsible for payment of the account
• your name is on the account
• your name and the address on the account matches that on the concession card.

You can claim for one property only.

Eligible cardholders can only claim a concession on their principal place of residence. For the purpose on this concession, the address on the concession card will be considered as your principal place of residence.

For further information:

• contact us on 1300 365 222 or info@towong.vic.gov.au
• call the Department of Human Services' Concessions Information Line on 1800 658 521 (toll free)
• visit the Health and Human Services website.