Gross rental value is the estimated annual rent your property could earn if it were rented, including allowances for rates and other property expenses. Factors such as its location, size, age, construction type, number of bedrooms, and additional features such as a swimming pool and the number of carports or garages influence the GRV.
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Each year, the City sets a rate in the dollar as part of the budget process. Your property’s valuation is multiplied by this figure.
Mayor’s message
Our Annual Budget 2026/27 will allow us to maintain the high standard of services, projects and programs our community expects, while delivering long-term financial sustainability and some of Perth’s lowest residential rates.
The City of Stirling has a robust planning process that is shaped by our community and guided by our shared vision of a sustainable City with a local focus. After comprehensive engagement with our residents, we have recently adopted our revised Strategic Community Plan, Sustainable Stirling 2026-2036, along with an updated Corporate Business Plan 2026-2030.
The Strategic Community Plan is our primary planning document that guides everything we do. The Corporate Business Plan translates the vision and objectives of the Strategic Community Plan into action through the delivery of services projects and programs. Our annual budget is the economic tool that allocates resources to make it happen.
We kept rate rises well below inflation from 2020 to 2025 to support our community through cost-of-living pressures associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, the cost of what we deliver continued to increase. Careful planning and responsible financial management will allow us to stay debt-free in 2026/27 while adopting a residential rate rise of 4.9 per cent.
One of the major projects on our agenda this year is the renewal of Recycling Centre Balcatta. There is $10.6 million in our annual budget for essential upgrades that will ensure we can keep providing a safe, efficient and environmentally sustainable waste management service.
We will continue to invest in community safety, including through innovative technology such as the Lynxight aquatic safety system powered by artificial intelligence. The Lynxight system will be installed at Stirling Leisure – Scarborough Beach at a cost of $240,000 after its successful implementation at our other aquatic facilities in Inglewood and Balga.
Building on our strong partnerships with the WA Government, we will progress key state election commitments, including the rebuild of the Porter-Pascoe Pedestrian Bridge at Lake Gwelup and upgrades to the performing arts facilities at Hamersley Community Hub, home of Endeavour Theatre Company.
Subject to state funding, we will start construction of Stage 1 of the Hutton Street Extension from Scarborough Beach Road to Walters Drive and progress the design of Stage 2 to Jon Sanders Drive. This project will improve traffic flow in an increasingly important industrial and commercial precinct.
As always, millions of dollars will go towards the maintenance and enhancement of the first-rate parks, reserves and sporting facilities our community values so highly.
The Carine Regional Open Space Community Parkland upgrade will reach completion this year, with $1.1m allocated for an exciting playground redevelopment shaped by the local community.
As part of our commitment to make our suburbs more liveable by increasing urban canopy, we will plant 56,000 trees and shrubs across the City in 2027. The development of a Wetlands Action Plan in 2026/27 is another way we can protect our natural environment by establishing a strategic approach to managing our wetlands.
A budget of $1.2m for our Community Grants Program and event sponsorships will give us the ability to support a wide range of community-driven initiatives across our grant streams, while also attracting world-class events.
I encourage all of you to read through this newsletter, take advantage of the special offers attached to your rates notice and subscribe to our e-newsletters at www.stirling.wa.gov.au/subscribe to stay connected with your community.
Mark Irwin AM | City of Stirling Mayor
Council rates calculated
Landgate valuations
Landgate, Western Australia’s land information authority responsible for administering the Valuation of Land Act 1978, provides updated property valuations to the City every three years.
As 2026 is a revaluation year, we are committed to being open and transparent and providing ratepayers with the information they need to plan ahead. It is important to understand that some parts of your rates are outside the City’s control, including the independently assessed value of your property.
Property owners can lodge an objection to their assessed property value with the Valuer General’s Office within 60 days of the issue date shown on their rates notice. More information is available on Landgate’s website at www.landgate.wa.gov.au or by contacting Landgate’s Customer Service team on (08) 9273 7373.
For the 2026/27 rating year, residential and minimum rates will increase by an average of 4.9 per cent. The commercial and industrial rate will increase by 6.9 per cent.
Vacant land
A higher rate in the dollar is applied to vacant land to encourage timely development, helping to create vibrant communities and strengthen the local economy.
The 2026/27 Budget includes a concession to reduce the impact of the higher rate on owners who are developing vacant land. Where land has been classified as vacant for less than three years, the rate in the dollar is reduced to the matching differential category for residential, commercial or industrial land.
The table below shows differential and minimum rates for 2026/27.
| Rating category | Rate in the dollar amount | Minimum rates |
|---|---|---|
| Residential | $0.041688 | $1,039.00 |
| Commercial and industrial | $0.055469 | $1,059.00 |
| Vacant residential | $0.062532 | $1,039.00 |
| Vacant commercial and industrial | $0.062532 | $1,059.00 |
Other minimum rates | ||
| Parkland Villas (under 36m2) | $865.00 | |
| Strata Titled Storage Units | $688.00 | |
Visit www.stirling.wa.gov.au/differentialrates for more infomation.
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