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Rates & fees

Rates & fees

Rates are the main way residents fund the council. Each year an independent regulator (IPART) sets a 'rate peg' — the maximum percentage the council can lift its total rates income — and councils can separately apply for a Special Rate Variation (SRV) to increase rates above the peg. Gunnedah applied for, and was granted, a large SRV covering 2025–26 and 2026–27. Here's the detail, plus the things that actually change your individual bill.

New to these terms? Read them in plain English
Rate peg
The cap on how much a council's TOTAL rates income can rise this year.
Core peg
The rate peg before the population top-up — the part driven by rising costs.
Population factor
An extra slice of the rate peg for fast-growing councils.
Special Rate Variation (SRV)
Permission for a council to raise rates by more than the peg.
Land valuation
Your land's value, set by the state, used to split the rates bill between properties.
Pensioner rebate
A discount on rates for eligible pensioners.
Domestic waste charge
A separate annual fee for your bins — NOT part of the rate peg.
IPART
Sets the rate peg and reviews council pricing.
See the full explainer, with formulas →
4.7%Set by IPART — a core peg of about 4.1% plus a 0.6% population factor. This is the baseline peg; the approved SRV (below) lifts rates further.
3.7%IPART's rate peg for Gunnedah for 2026–27 — a core peg of 2.8% plus a 0.9% population factor. The council's approved SRV largely supersedes this for the affected categories.
Special Rate Variation (SRV) — IPART decision 16 May 2025
Permanent cumulative rise of 37.67% over 2 years (2025–26 and 2026–27)Residential, Business and Farmland categories: 32.25% cumulative (21.80% above the rate peg). Mining category: 85.13% cumulative (64.33% above the rate peg). The council told IPART the rise was needed to address financial sustainability and maintain infrastructure and service levels, citing the rate peg, cost shifting and rising expenses. Applies to the rates portion of the bill only, not separate waste/water/sewerage charges.
~$1,093 / year (2024–25, pre-SRV)About 9% below the NSW average of ~$1,203 (OLG data). This is before the SRV increases take effect from 2025–26.
What the peg/SRV caps
Total rates income — not each household's individual billIt doesn't cap the domestic waste charge, which is separate.
Overdue interest (2025–26)
10.5% per annum (NSW statewide maximum)A NSW-wide statutory maximum set annually by the state government under the Local Government Act; the exact rate applied is printed on the front of Gunnedah's rates notices.
Concessions
Eligible pensioners: up to $250 off ordinary rates + domestic waste charge, up to $87.50 off water, up to $87.50 off sewerageFor a Centrelink or DVA pensioner concession card holder at their principal residence. Apply via the council.

The rate peg and SRV limit the council's total rates income, not each household's bill individually — how your rates change also depends on your land value relative to other properties. Gunnedah's SRV is a significant, publicly documented increase (37.67% cumulative for most ratepayers' categories over two years, and considerably higher for the mining rating category) — we report the approved figures and the council's stated reasoning; we don't editorialise on whether it was warranted. Confirm your own bill and any concession eligibility with the council.

Sources — check it yourself

Figures are current as at the dates shown and may change — always confirm with the linked source. See the notice at the bottom of the page for full details and how to report a correction.