Toowoomba Regional Council looking at measure to avoid large rate increases in next budget

The official valuation of Toowoomba land is set to increase by a staggering 31 per cent, which is bad news for anyone paying rates or property tax. Here’s what the council plans to do about it.

Toowoomba Regional Council will look at capping rates and using other legislative tools to spread the looming financial pain stemming from recent spike property valuations.

Across the council area, the valuation of all property types are set to increase by 31 per cent on June 30 after Queensland’s Value-General completed an 2024 assessment of 14 local government areas.

The biggest increases were out west with Cunnamulla up a staggering 247 per cent, Quilpie up 236 per cent and Charleville up 238 per cent.

These valuations are used to calculate council rates and property taxes.

Toowoomba mayor Geoff McDonald said the council would look at what measure it could use to average valuations over two or three years and, where appropriate, apply rate caps to certain rating categories.

“A big spike on your land valuation from the Queensland Valuer-General does not automatically mean a big spike in your Council rates,” he said.

“In the formation of our 2025/26 Budget, the council can implement a number of measures to smooth out the valuation to ensure residents are not adversely affected by a large valuation increase.”

The new valuations take effect on June 30 and there is a 60 day window for property owners to dispute their increase.

Valuer-General Laura Dietrich said the increased values across the state were driven by regional migration and high levels of investment.

“Some of the factors such as strong population growth and investor demands have contributed to an increase in the land value across the all the three revalued South East Queensland Local Government Area,” she said.

“Major infrastructure projects, such as those associated with the Brisbane 2032 Olympics and transport infrastructure, are also influencing land value in specific areas.”

Originally published as Toowoomba Regional Council looking at measure to avoid large rate increases in next budget