General Rates
Rates are the primary source of revenue for Katherine Town Council, as they are for most local governments. They are crucial to Council’s financial sustainability, enabling the delivery of essential community services while balancing social and economic impacts. Rates fund a broad range of services, including parks, reserves, roads, footpaths, libraries, recreational facilities, and other vital amenities.
Council sets general rates using a Differential Rating System, where the Unimproved Capital Value (UCV) of a property is multiplied by the applicable differential rate or set at the fixed minimum amount, whichever is higher. Each parcel of rateable land is categorised according to the Northern Territory Planning Scheme Zones, with each category assigned a specific description, differential rate, and minimum charge.
For the 2025/26 financial year, fixed rates will also apply to specific land uses, including workers accommodation.
Following a comprehensive review of previous rating principles, service delivery costs, and inflationary pressures, Council has developed a strategy for 2025/26 that balances financial requirements with community affordability. Council aims to collect $9,957,455 in general rates revenue.
A key focus has been minimising the rate increase for residential properties. Accordingly, the average residential general rate will rise by just 3.6%, resulting in a median increase of approximately $60.00. Council’s objective is to keep increases for residential-only properties under 4.8%, acknowledging the broader economic challenges facing the community.
For all other land categories and zones, a differentially applied increase averaging 4.8% will be implemented.
In the case of multi-zoned properties—those spanning multiple zones—Council will apply the rate associated with the zone covering the largest portion of the land, based on data provided by valuation services.
The following table outlines the proposed differential rates and minimum charges.
|
New Category Description
|
Proposed RID
|
Proposed Min
|
Median $ ∆
|
Levy 2026 All
|
|
Residential (LR LMR MR SK1, SK2 SK4, SK5)
|
1.85429
|
$1,495
|
$60
|
$4,457,723
|
|
Agricultural (A H HCP)
|
0.31975
|
$1,675
|
$125
|
$263,469
|
|
Water Management (WM)
|
0.64068
|
$1,675
|
$140
|
$99,660
|
|
Rural (R)
|
0.43417
|
$1,530
|
$79
|
$713,311
|
|
Rural Living (RL)
|
0.77582
|
$1,495
|
$94
|
$386,090
|
|
Community Living/ Purpose (CL CP)
|
3.81210
|
$1,582
|
$210
|
$140,227
|
|
Central Business (CB)
|
3.24099
|
$1,625
|
$275
|
$1,326,253
|
|
Commercial (C)
|
2.58520
|
$1,675
|
$225
|
$48,693
|
|
Service Commercial (SC)
|
4.50652
|
$1,675
|
$516
|
$22,533
|
|
Future Development FD
|
30.27549
|
$1,705
|
$155
|
$1,705
|
|
Railway (RW)
|
18.61677
|
$1,675
|
$85
|
$12,287
|
|
Industry (GI LI)
|
1.98189
|
$1,675
|
$519
|
$1,189,495
|
|
Organised Recreation (OR)
|
1.27720
|
$1,675
|
$125
|
$17,001
|
|
Zone CB (Residential Use)
|
0.57509
|
$1,495
|
-$55
|
$26,222
|
|
Multi-Zone (MZ)
|
0.00000
|
$0
|
$0
|
$0
|
|
Tindal Ex Gratia
|
0.00000
|
$1,764
|
$81
|
$426,888
|
|
Zone Binjari
|
0.00000
|
$1,530
|
$79
|
$70,380
|
|
Pastoral Lease
|
0.07893
|
$971
|
$35
|
$11,448
|
|
Mining Tenement
|
0.89595
|
$2,297
|
$0
|
$0
|
|
Zone NOZONE
|
0.31975
|
$1,625
|
$75
|
$366,785
|
|
Major Shopping Centre
|
3.50000
|
$1,832
|
$7,416
|
$84,875
|
|
Workers Accom < 30
|
0.00000
|
$3,384
|
$308
|
$6,768
|
|
Workers Accom 30-60
|
0.00000
|
$12,045
|
$0
|
$0
|
|
Workers Accom 60- 120
|
0.00000
|
$19,272
|
$1,752
|
$19,272
|
|
Workers Accom 120-240
|
0.00000
|
$33,726
|
$0
|
$0
|
|
Workers Accom >240
|
0.00000
|
$57,816
|
$0
|
$0
|
|
Major Cattle Facility
|
0.48333
|
$1,832
|
$692
|
$7,612
|
|
Solar Farm
|
0.75153
|
$1,675
|
$594
|
$6,538
|
|
Cotton Gin
|
3.50000
|
$12,045
|
$1,095
|
$12,045
|
|
Tourism (TC) Caravan Park (CV)
|
3.25000
|
$1,675
|
$653
|
$240,175
|
|
|
|
|
$9,957,455
|
Waste Management Charges
Katherine Town Council’s waste management charges support the operational costs and significant capital investments required to maintain an environmentally compliant and sustainable Waste Management Facility.
For the 2025/26 financial year, Council targets collecting $1,594,000 through waste levies. These funds ensure the effective operation, maintenance, and future rehabilitation of the facility.
-
The full waste management charge will increase by 5.9%, rising to $440.00, an increase of $23.00 from the previous year. This covers both weekly kerbside garbage collection and access to the Waste Management Facility. The increase equates to approximately $0.44 per week.
-
For properties without a regular weekly kerbside collection service, a minimum waste management charge of $170.00 will apply, up by $22.04 from the previous year (approximately $0.43 per week).
All other allotments within the municipality will also be subject to the $170.00 minimum levy. This funding is critical to maintaining and improving waste services across the Katherine region.
Council remains committed to delivering sustainable, accessible, and environmentally responsible waste services for the long-term benefit of the Katherine community.
How to Use the Rates Calculator
The Rates Calculator is designed to help you estimate your proposed general rates and waste charges for the 2025/26 financial year.
Using the calculator is simple:
-
Select your property’s zone or category.
-
Enter your property’s Unimproved Capital Value (UCV). You can find your UCV on last year’s rates notice, or by contacting our Corporate Administration team.
- NOTE: Please enter numbers only – the calculator will not work if you include symbols (e.g. enter 120000, not 120,000.00).
If you own multiple dwellings or multi-zoned properties, please contact Corporate Administration directly for assistance with your proposed rates calculation.
To calculate your waste charges:
-
Select the type of waste service you receive.
-
Enter the number of services you have. For example, if you have two 240L wheelie bins, enter “2.”