Far North Queensland councils explain why their rates and charges are rising

With budgets handed down by most Far North Queensland regional and shire councils, residents can now find out whose rates will rise the most ... and the cheapest place to register a working dog.

Now that most Far North councils have handed down their budgets, residents can find out whose rates rises are the greatest, which grave site fees are falling and the cheapest place to register a working dog.

Rates are increasing by as much as 15 per cent for some residents in the Far North as budgets handed down by local councils reveal surprising hikes and falls in other charges like water, waste, development applications and grave sites.

Many fees and charges have changed across the region, but Cassowary Coast Regional Council remains the most affordable place to register a working dog, with no charge, and Douglas Shire is not far behind at $15 a year.

For buskers, Cairns is still free but regulated, and in Douglas Shire, you will need to shell out $35 for a three-month permit - an increase of $2 (or one coin in the hat) on last financial year.

Four of the six regional and shire councils in the Far North have handed down their budgets for 2025-26 and they have just one thing in common – rates are rising across the board.

It is a matter of degrees as to how much residents’ rates will increase, with some councils highlighting “moderate” increases of less than four per cent, and others moving to cap their increases for the first time as they grapple with the impact of skyrocketing property valuations that underpin rates calculations.

Cassowary Coast Mayor Teresa Millwood said the council was capping rate rises for the first time at 15 per cent to mitigate significant land valuation increases. Picture: Arun Singh Mann

Some Cassowary Coast residents are facing the biggest rate hikes of up to 15 per cent - capped - with Mayor Teresa Millwood saying land valuations had increased by an average of 37.33 per cent across the region.

She said the council had “worked hard to limit the overall increase in general rates revenue to 3.95 per cent”.

“We’ve kept the increase modest but, unfortunately, we know the impact won’t be the same for everyone,” Ms Millwood said.

Tablelands residents will face an average rates increase of 7.9 per cent, although some households will have a greater or lesser change to their rates, depending on land valuations.

Tablelands Mayor Rod Marti said the council’s latest budget contained increased fees and charges in anticipation of some significant infrastructure replacement ahead.

Mayor Rod Marti said the greatest challenge for the Tablelands Regional Council was funding the replacement of “invisible” ageing infrastructure.

“Council has worked hard over the last few years to extend the life of its water and sewerage infrastructure but the capacity to extend the life of Atherton’s and Yungaburra’s sewerage treatment plants is extremely limited and replacement assets must be constructed over the next few years before critical failures,” Mr Marti said.

“You might notice road conditions, but most people don’t reflect on the conditions of water and sewerage infrastructure until it fails.”

In Douglas Shire, Mayor Lisa Scomazzon said residential households could expect to pay about $112 extra this financial year for their rates and investors an extra $168 per year.

“This rate increase for 2025–2026 is not taken lightly. It reflects the real costs of delivering essential services such as clean drinking water, weekly rubbish collection, safe roads, and the operation of our libraries, pools, and community facilities,” Ms Scomazzon said.

Douglas Shire Mayor Lisa Scomazzon said the rates rise was needed to deliver essential services.

Cairns Regional Council announced a 5.9 per cent general rate rise last month.

Beyond rates, other core business charges like rubbish, water, sewerage and cemetery charges are up and down across the region.

In Douglas Shire, it will be less expensive to pay grave site fees or ‘hire’ an area of Rex Smeal Park, but it will be more expensive to lodge a planning services application, with a jump of 272 per cent in the minimum administration fee.

Cassowary Coast Regional Council presents a mixed bag of utility adjustments, including a $318 increase to the Port Hinchinbrook sewerage utility charge, reflecting the first full year of operations for the new sewerage treatment plant.

“This critical infrastructure is now fully operational, ensuring modern, reliable sewerage services that meet environmental and regulatory standards, and the charge covers council’s costs for delivering this essential service, including electricity, staffing, maintenance, and asset renewal, while supporting long-term sustainability,” a council spokeswoman said.

Water consumption charges in Cassowary Coast are up by 6 per cent but the council has reduced its waste infrastructure utility charge by 11 per cent (a $24 decrease to $195), covering green waste management and environmental compliance at former landfill sites, “reflecting new operational efficiencies achieved in council’s waste services”.

Tablelands Regional Council is implementing broad increases across utilities, including water consumption increasing by 33 cents per thousand litres, and sewerage utilities by 9.9 per cent ($96 per year).

Cook Shire and Mareeba Shire councils are yet to hand down their budgets, with special council meetings and community information sessions planned for next week.

Originally published as Far North Queensland councils explain why their rates and charges are rising