General News
31 March, 2026
Owners fuming over valuations
PROPERTY owners facing the waterfront at Lake Tinaroo are fuming after receiving a 100% rise in their valuations, leaving some to consider even selling their homes.
Valuations from the State’s Valuer-General were issued recently, with many towns in the Tablelands local government area receiving large increases of up to 70%, but it has emerged that properties with any water frontage have doubled in value.
Given that council rates are calculated by the valuations, owners are facing hikes of thousands of dollars, leaving them worried as to how they will be able to pay their next rates notice.
Yungaburra property owner Linda Tuck, who has a long background in real estate, has done extensive research into the valuations of properties around her area which revealed houses that front the water have gone up by 100% while houses across the road from those properties have risen by 40%.
Her property in Oleander Drive has gone from $530,000 to $1.04 million.
Houses across the road have risen from $195,000 to $275,000, an increase of 41%.
The difference between the valuations for houses on one side of the street to the other is more than 320%.
“From my research, it appears that anyone that has access to the water – even if it is not really direct access – has received a 100% increase,” she said.
“We already had a premium attached to our valuations for being on the water and this was something anticipated and accepted. However, with the 100% increase, this has put it over the correct valuation for the properties.
“I might note that there have been periods of up to three years when we don’t even have any water in the lake where we are.
“How can one house have one valuation, and a similar house directly opposite have a valuation so much less? How can the house with water access be valued at $775,000 more?
“The houses in our street were built in the early 1990s and by no stretch are executive, fancy houses. Many are basic homes that are close to 30 years old now and not renovated.”
Ms Tuck said she had spoken to many of her neighbours who were extremely worried about the situation.
“If the council charges the same rates next year as they did this year, then those on the water side will have their rates increase from $7,000 to over $12,000,” she said.
“I have already heard a few people in the street say they will have no choice but to sell up as they can’t afford the increased council rates.
“My neighbour put it into simple words – it is going to cost them $1000 per month to live in their own home just to pay council rates – and that’s without council raising the rate in the dollar in the next budget.”
Ms Tuck said she believed properties with lake frontage in Barrine and Tinaroo would also be hit with the massive increase in valuations.
She is currently developing an objection to the valuations, which can be submitted until 11 May, but knows getting a review of the valuation will be difficult.
“I think the whole process of how they work out valuations is flawed,” Ms Tuck said.
“In my personal opinion, based against past sales, I think the valuations should have been closer to 25-30% increase overall. Not the 40-100% increases we have seen.
“I am developing an objection to send to the Valuer-General and I’m happy to pass this on to other people who might want to lodge one – the more property owners who lodge an objection, the more chance we have of getting a review.”
Ms Tuck used a tool available at www.valuations.dnrm.qld.gov.au/listings/OnlineValuationRollSearch
“Just put in the street with no numbers and it will bring up all the properties in that street. It will also show the current valuation, and the proposed new valuation,” she said.
“If you need to build a case up for your street or area, do the surrounding streets to work out what they have done for increases.”
To contact Ms Tuck, email linda@plrealty.com.au
