Landholders in the Diamantina and Barcoo Shires have a limited time to appeal the 246 per cent increase in their land valuation announced by the Queensland Valuer General on March 26, 2024, according to local MP Lachlan Millar, Member for Gregory.

“The 60 day objection period for the 2024 land valuations will close on May 27, 2024,” said Mr Millar.

Other Gregory Local Government Areas which also received new valuations are the Central Highlands Regional Council, Isaac Regional Council and Longreach Regional Council.

Under the Land Valuation Act 2010, the Valuer-General values land in Queensland on a rotational basis using LGA boundaries. The Valuer-General is the independent head of the State Valuation Service, Department of Resources.

“The Valuer-General’s land valuations are used to calculate local government rates, rents for state leasehold land and state land tax, so receiving a 246 per cent increase has very real financial impacts for land-holders,” said Mr Millar.

“This whopping increase may represent only a few recent sales of land and the recent breaking of the drought, so many individual landholders may have grounds for an appeal. There is a process for this and the appeal is made in the first instance to the Valuer General with final rights of appeal going before the Queensland Land Court,” he said.

“It is a two-part process where the landholder must first lodge an objection to the Valuer General. If you don’t agree with the decision by the Valuer General regarding your appeal, you can then appeal to the Land Court,” he said.

Mr Millar said that all local government areas undergo an assessment of land valuations on a rotational basis and the new valuations reflect changes in the property market since each LGA was last valued.

“If you haven’t received your valuation notice you can see information on each LGA by going to Queensland Government website at www.qld.gov.au and entering “2024 Queensland Land Valuations” into the search window. There are then links for each LGA,” he said.

“If you need further assistance or cannot access the website, you can call 1300 664 217 between 8.30 AM and 5 PM,” he said.

“The valuation overviews also provide information on residential, rural-residential, multi-unit, commercial, industrial and rural property markets for each LGA,” he said.