Fraser Coast council releases new fees and charges for 2022

Higher costs for dog registration, trips to the rubbish tip, pool entry and camping at beachfront tourist parks are among new council fees and charges for the next financial year.

Fraser Coast residents can expect to pay more for dog registration, dumping rubbish, pool entry and visiting beachfront tourist parks over the next year.

The new costs are part of the council’s schedule of fees and charges adopted as part of its for 2022-2023 budget.

Under the new pricing dog owners can expect to pay more to register their pups.

To register a desexed and microchipped dog, owners will pay $35, which is a $5 increase from 2021.

Registering a breeding dog will cost $160, a hike of at least $15.

The first time registration of a dog with the council is still free of charge, and there is no increase in dog adoption fees (which includes registration, desexing, microchipping and care treatments).

Owners will pay an extra $5 to register their dogs from last financial year.

A trip to the rubbish tip will also cost more, with a carload of waste (less than 25kg) now costing $6.

That’s up 60c from the 2021 price.

Dumping more than a wheelie bin’s-worth of rubbish, but less than 50kg, will cost $11.80 - 50c increase from 2021.

A medium load of waste up to 250kg will cost $22, a rise of $1.90, and a large load of more than 400kg will cost residents $43.50, up $4.40.

Scarness Caravan Park. Photo: Alistair Brightman.

The cost of camping at beachfront tourist parks has generally gone up between 2.4 per cent to 3 per cent too..

Campers wanting a powered two-person beachfront site at Burrum Heads Caravan Park will pay $51.50 per day during the quiet season season and $59 when it gets busy.

For the same type of spot for a week-long stay, visitors will pay $309 during low season, and $413 in peak season - increases of $9 and $10.50 respectively from 2021.

At the Pialba, Scarness and Torquay Caravan Parks, a powered beachfront spot for two people will cost $56 per day during off-peak periods and $64 during peak season.

For a week at the same type of spot, campers will pay $336 during low season and $448 in peak season.

Those same sites cost $327 and $437.50 in 2021.

The new charges will be applicable from February 2023.

General admission for children under three years old will still be free at Hervey Bay Aquatic Centre.

There will be a small price increase for swimmers using the Maryborough and Hervey Bay Aquatic Centres with adults now paying $4.90 for general entry.

This was up 10c from 2021.

Pensioners, concession card holders, students or children aged between three to 15 years will pay $3.40 for general entry, again a small increase of 10c from 2021.

General admission for children under three years old when accompanied by an adult is still free.

At the Wetside Water Park in Hervey Bay, for 10 rides on the waterslides it will cost swimmers $7, 30c more than 2021.

Fraser Coast Mayor George Seymour said the council kept the news fees as low as possible, noting the charges are going up less than the inflation rate.

“The council fees and charges cover the cost of providing the service, and the cost of providing the service is going up for us... in order for us to continue to provide services, we need the funding for it,” Mr Seymour said.

He said it was about being “financially responsible and sustainable”.

“I think we need to be financially prudent, we keep fees and charges as low as possible, but they do actually need to cover the cost to the community,” he said.