High council rates in Hervey Bay detrimental to growth.......?
Although we would love it....on researching the council rates up there, we must be honest and say we find the high council rates up there somewhat of a deal breaker as to relocating, as much as we want to.
Currently our house here sits on 550msq and is valued at 432000 and we are paying just over $1000 per year. The rate works out to be $432000 x $0.00245212.
If I am correct the rates in Hervey Bay are $0.8314 on a residential property........? Its almost 4 times the rate we are paying here now. Im happy to be corrected but on these numbers but a standard house of say $350000 would attract rates of nearly 3k per annum......?
I can appreciate all the reasons for high rates etc in a regional setting such as Hervey Bay, but also I cannot help but see how it can only be detrimental to growth in the area when you have young families like ourselves with money to spend on properties but are put off by excessively high council rates........?
Any feedback, thoughts or criticisms on my posting are welcome
Thanks
15 Answers
We are also thinking of moving to Hervey Bay. In Melbourne the rates as you appear to state are determined on property value. In Queensland I think everywhere, is based on unimproved land value not property value. Hervey Bay is based on unimproved land value. The .8672 is correct. There is up to $390 pensioner rebate for urban areas. If you buy a property for $350k, and the unimproved land value is $200k, the calculation would be $200k x .8672% = $1934 minus rebate. My information was gained by calling council. You can find out land value on a property you are interested in by calling them. Hope I was helpful.
You pay for what you get. Hervey Bay is paradise compared to a lot of places and yes, the rates are generally too high (they do include water as well) but we are still paying for many corrupt members in the past. This present Council is 'go-ahead' and fairly translucent. You won't find a better place to make your home; fantastic climate, safe beaches, good health facilities and good infrastructure. Yes, you may pay more here in rates but you can also buy a house here for $300k of which the same house in Melbourne or Sydney would cost you $700k. That's $400k you've saved and would be the equivalent of approximately 400 years extra life that you might have paid in higher rates...
Capital growth is stagnant, medium still sits on $325k, there are many who have sold up at a loss, transport is my biggest issue, to go to any capital city from Hb costs a small fortune, the beaches leave a lot to be desired, on the outskirts of GC you can find prices akin to Hb without the high council rates.
Although the rates here are high what they pay for is amazing. We have the Esplanade green pretty and with bike paths running along it. We have a free waterpark for the kids, our teens still enjoy it and many playgrounds , toilet facilities, benches free bbqs etc. We have a mobility corridor running through a large area of Hervey Bay for bikes pedestrians and mobility scooters. These are a few things but each suburb Also has a number of parks all well maintained and attractive as well. You need to see the facilities council maintain to understand where these higher fees go. I know I dont like paying high rates but am impressed by this councils and understand where a lot of these rates are being spent in Hervey Bay
Council and the police seem unable to control hoons on Boat Harbour Drive, despite the high rates paid there are no control measures such as fixed speed cameras or regular police patrols. If they can't get the main entrance to town sorted, it's hard to justify high rates for property where you can't have quiet enjoyment.
Frankly I dont know how Fraser Coast council get away with it. My understanding is that most councils cap the annual rate increases. I am paying rates on an unimproved house block of land 5km out of the Hervey Bay CBD. This year the rates increased by 12.76% on last years. It doesnt stop there. My rates are double my home in Sydney of double the land value and all services provided. My Fraser Coast block has zero services, no footpaths etc. but Council still charge for the UNCONNECTED services including water and waste. the How long can I hold out ?
Its amazing reading these comments and actually comprehending that the majority of posters are agreed on our Council and rates being a huge decision maker when it comes to moving here.
I agree totally when it comes to our council. We need a better system. We waste over a million dollars per annum on paying councillors to do a job they arent qualified to do. You have to ask yourself how do these people get too run a local complex economy when they simply do a one day course to get the necessary crudentials to do so.
How do people with backgrounds in real estate , butchering have a hope of bein a proficient local representative. Its no wonder we are paying so much for our rates. They see money and they spend it. We need to get rid of the councilllor role and attract properly educated people to run the council. The other problem is the lack of integrity from our state government to actively investigate the ongoing issues with our council.... bullying and corruption weve seen widely publicised. Our local newspaper have no interest in reporting or investigating any matter properly. We are only given useless information to keep us mildly informed... the local paper is a great toilet paper swap. I encourage people to move here and push to change our local representation and make Hervey Bay a cheaper place to live. It is a wonderful spot but has a need for change.
This area has many elders from my age bracket and yes it is unfortunately the case one of the partners dies leaving like me and or us with carryin on as you do with responsibilities and manage as best you can All locals know not to trust a state member here and god forbid his aweful wife? Fixated and as locals say her absolute greed for money at any cost changed her Sad a town can be promoted as a safe retirement place like so many but locals know this town well and to this day the common saying is Come here and youll be lucky to leave with your shirt on Thanks to a member who couldnt read write and relied heavily on local toastmasters to prepare etc say speeches etc Unemployed folk are generally good folk struggling to make dnds meet I have learnt at my age it is the ones at the top you have to be more concerned about and as they say here these folk you should trust do not share my values and ethics of what you and most of our bracket would call decency and to know correct protocols and more
I think the rates are good . Lived in hervey bay for ten years still here.
Take a look around and see what you get in hervey bay ...
Bike paths, shops and restaurants galore.
Beautiful esplanade. Clean bbqs and parks...
In fact our rates are cheaper now .
Take a look a good look at your new f.c bill .
Me originally from Melbourne and take a look at your gas bill in winter Crowed roads carnt move, crowed trains ..
So you might pay a difference but how do you want to live your life ...
BBQs picnic areas are okay like in comparison to other just or greater towns its okay to live here and yes it is a beautiful town like so many What puts other towns ahead of this one is simply local corruption and bullying to this day and a lack of education and ethics The most important thing in the change needed as most say is a continuation of newcomers injecting their life experiences and more importantly their values ethics and travelling experiences but most of all is a zero tolerance for corruption and or crime with expectations of anyone holding a senior position to be educated to say their similar level or expectations or say a role that encompasses a responsibility of looking after thousands and having an education above or now expected by most Australians to actually understand humanity and or at such s high level by their representative and to date this state member and et all and or his family have not demonstrated any of these higher realms understandings and or expectations instead what locals know and still experience is a low of the low with no values So come and be yourselves and help change as all know here these cronies will die and they cant wait and I think thats life Always about change and simple good things in life
I am also looking to retire to Hervey Bay from Melbourne, just cannot stand the cold anymore, currently in Bali to escape the winter chills, however I am widower and know nobody there and if everyone is leaving there will be no one left lol!, I am also toying with other areas such as Tin can bay, and beach suburbs around bundaberg, as well as Trinity beach in fnq, so very flexible, I will do more research on Hb and see where it takes me .
Have just received correspondence from daughter who has lived in HB off and on for the last 25 years. I was shocked to learn that property she is contemplating buying with offers in excess of $275k has a combined Rate and Body Corporate total of over $5,000. I live in the Dandenong Ranges on a property valued at $1.25 million and only pay combined rates water and land of just over $2500.
There was a report on the news about Fraser Coast (and wide bay) having the highest rates in QLD recently, although I did think Gladstone was as expensive. Here on the fraser coast, the council is the problem. We have 3 rates cycle per annum where say Sunshine Coast last time I looked had only 2. If you remove the extra rates payment from the fraser coast, we would be almost on par with more affluent areas like the sunshine coast. Reducing rates encourages growth, and also generally means lower rent prices, more work opportunities etc. As a former landlord, a $30pw rate reduction means $30 less someone pays in rent. It wont change unless this shoddy council and major are removed. Councils argument that excessive rates are due to lower population is ridiculous, as the Sunshine Coast for example covers much wider area, and if you equated land area for land area, the number of residents is similar. The council is happy to spend millions of our money on building a new council building down near the water park, but they wont fix their infrastructure or even put curbing and channeling in for streets down at the esplanade as an example that pay the same rates as streets that do. And, officially I have been told that council turns a blind eye (takes no action) to certain offenses unless a complaint is made lol. We need good people moving here who want positive change and run for council and mayor. It's a great area - 15mins from end to end in town just a 'sus'council.
Ive been cautioned about trying to say advertise for a companion or rent a room in my own home so as a solo widow Ive decided to sell my home that you can view here -https://www.frasercoastproperties.com.au/property/515/qld They say Im a rather young lady and attractive still Im appearance but I find my home that is so loved is too much for me clean and etc and I havent stumbled onto my next life partner yet
Hi Kathleen. I think you are disappointed in the elected officials up there. I understand that, but your comments about them may be putting off possible buyers of your property. Just my opinion. Having said that, are you still looking for someone to rent a room at your place? I am a 60 year old divorced English guy and working full time in Adelaide, but I want to retire now and was thinking to buy a small place in Hervey Bay. But maybe it would be better to rent a place for a while before buying? If you are interested in renting a spare room, get in touch please. Regards, Grant.Add a comment...
Just bought investment property in Hervey Bay paid $250K just found out my annual fees (strata/body corps,rates including waste services and fire levy,then add water/sewerage) come to an approx total of $6600 per annum I live in Sydney in Wolli Creek and our total outgoing fees are only approx $5100 ??? So I cannot understandd why Hervey Bay is so pricey,my conveyancer said it is the second highest area in Australia and the highest in Queensland.
Yes it is a deal breaker , i was going to buy a vacant land and build on it later on , i contacted Fraser Coast counsil and asked them about the rates , i have been told it's arround $3000 / year despite it's vacant.
I didn't understand why do i have to pay huge amount of money for a vacant land so i have decided to send my money overseas and invest there, thanks Fraser Coast council.
Ridiculous
Hervey Bay is growing at an astronomical rate, there are developments happening around every corner. BEWARE we moved here two years ago and have already moved out of town due to the congestion. Council has done very little in terms of infrastructure to cope with the growth. Rates here are ridiculous, we paid less on the Gold Coast. The cheap housing I am informed is attracting a lot of undesirables, graffiti is becoming a big issue in the town along with hoon drivers who seem to own the streets at night, very very little seems to being done to tackle any of the issues.
Toogoom - simply the best!
A widow of 3.5 years like many and not quite pension age but close it has been difficult to manage in particular council rates as their is no concession rates as us older people are put on Newstart
Most connected in the town look after themselves and I did say put a request to council about a rebate for concession holders not quite there for age pension as other towns have this in place
I’m selling my beautiful home as I need to downsize as a solo widow of just 63.5 years it’s too much money for me to find
Yes our council are in the news almost weekly for corruption related issues.
CCC did a night job and without knowing who they reall are as I do not watch TV but the town is better off in most folks opinions Me? Just had a successful business and caused such jealousy and envy and such hatred that my late husband and our home was subjected to over 200 police phone calls and our successful business was hammered since 2009 wherein fact it was discovered a state member et all had started up a similar business name out of cruelty and some attended my late husbands funeral and had the hide to attend ICU and preyer on a defenceless widow running a successful small business Happened yes Could it have happened well yes as bad politicians preyer on defenceless like widows just ask labour and one nation as they all know local state member stole my business name and preyed on a defenceless widow Anyhow Hervey Bay is a great city deserving more newcomers to contribute and continue the change like most towns in letting others and bad locals know that their behaviour is no longer acceptable or tolerant as most Australians have basic ethics and standards So please come to Hervey Bay and help the change that these locals have wanted for decades but never been brave enough to do is simply speak up against abuse corruption and an unethical minority
Hey there, could you tell me how much you get back on rates if you are a pensioner please?
Also how does the heat and particularly the humidity around Hervey Bay compare to Western Sydney, please?
And is it true, that you don't pay stamp duty in the sunshine state?
Cheers D :)
And if you are not a pensioner and at no fault of yours your husband or wife died before retirement age and than as they say to this day is the worst place on earth in Australia is Hervey Bay corruption and attracting us retirees but in actual fact there are far better towns around in Australia that care so much better but having said that our voices can help direction of those looking for security and in todays society it is really about corruption in a town and most of us dont give a damn about them apart from them dying early but most is us want to retire without drama
Andrew.
You are basically correct - didn't check the exact figure but sounds about right.
Standard rates are approx $3,000 per annum.
I appreciate this is could be a deal breaker for some, but few moving here seem to worry - it is certainly not an objection I get very often as an agent.
I guess it is a personal thing and an affordability question for each family individually.
Hope that helps????
Hubby and I took the plunge and moved to Hervey Bay January 2018. There are walking paths , bike path and they cost nothing. the place is just beautiful. Moved from Liverpool to Newcastle, then to Brisbane 20 years ago. Lots of parks for the grandkids and plenty of activities for oldies. I figured Id rather pay an extra $50? a week for the joy of living here. Stamp duty is approx. half of NSW. So far Ive not experienced any crime. We love it here.
Hi to all I have been traveling for a long time with my family of girls I need to find a home is this suitable and best schools please .no negativity as in Coffs ATM travelled from Tas to Brisbane gold coast etc to the entrance Gosford just beautiful .. Coffs Harbour has been a nightmare ..just want out
The water usage is included in the council rates. The rates are high and we groan upon getting them every quarter. On the other hand, the walkways both along the esplanade and the old rail line path are kept in excellent condition. The Fraser Coast extends from River Heads to Burrum Heads, some 40+ klms as well as inland towns such as Howard and Torbanlea. A big area to maintain.
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I am also thinking of moving to coastal QLD around Hervey Bay area and I am agree with Andrewa council rates is far too high compare to NSW. Denisel I am not a pensioner therefore the rebate is useless to me.