RLPB rates

The rates you pay to your local Rural Lands Protection Board allow the Board to fund the services it provides to landholders and contribute to other important statewide functions.

The Rural Lands Protection Act 1998 requires Boards to charge rates on occupiers of land that is of a size equal to or larger than a size prescribed in the legislation for each Board’s district.

Rates are charged on a two-tier basis, involving a general rate paid by all landholders and a supplementary animal health rate.

General rate

A general rate is levied on land over a certain number of hectares, a figure which varies between districts. The amount of this rate is based on the assessed carrying capacity of the land, regardless of how many stock are actually run.

The general rate assists with pest animal control work and maintainance of the Travelling Stock Reserves and other infrastructure in the district.

Animal health rate

This is an additional rate levied on rateable land on which 50 or more stock units are run.

This rate also applies if you do not notify your local Board of your stock numbers, i.e., if you fail to submit your annual land and stock return on time.

The animal health rate is used to fund the animal health services provided by Boards.

Special purpose rates

At times, your RLPB may raise a special purpose rate. An example of this was the rate levied to help fund the plague locust campaign of 2004/5, in which RLPBs helped save millions of dollars in agricultural production.

An RLPB may at times collect statutory levies on behalf of other authorities, e.g., the NSW Food Authority.

Paying your rates

Rates are levied for the period 1 January to 31 December. Rates notices are sent out early in the year. Payment options vary from Board to Board. For more information, contact your local RLPB.