Mackay’s oldest history research group celebrated a special milestone last week, with a special lunch attended by more than twenty current and former members, patrons and supporters.

The Mackay Historical Society’s 50th anniversary ticked over on August 10, with the celebratory lunch held on August 14 at Souths Leagues Club.

Following the lunch, formalities for the 50th anniversary were conducted with historical society member Steven Pritchard opening the proceedings. After being introduced, recently appointed Vice President, Danielle Jesser then read a copy of the minutes from the Formation Meeting of the Society which had been held on Thursday, August 10, 1972, at 7.45pm at the since demolished Australian Sugar Producers Association (also known as the ASPA) Board Room in Wood Street (now the site of the Westpac Bank).

The Minutes included names attending such as: Berenice Wright, Frank Rolleston, John Henry ‘Jack’ Williams Junior, John Renton (who had called the meeting to form the society) and Rod Manning.

Those attending were then asked to share, if they wanted to, their memories of the society’s long existence. Reminiscing about their time with the society at the function were: Helen Martin, MRC Councilor Lawrence Bonaventura and Wayne Miller.

Memories from Historical Society member Terry Abbott were also shared at the anniversary lunch. Helen Martin was also to read a list of current and former historical society presidents as part of the formalities.

Also attending the lunch were: Brian Osborn (former MRC Museum’s Coordinator), Doug Petersen (Local Historian), Dr. Julia Pittman (Reverend of St Paul’s Uniting Church and the Armitage Uniting Church), Ray Braithwaite (former Federal Member for Dawson and Local Historian) and Terry Hayes (Local Historian) amongst others.

The current Mackay Historical Society committee was also in attendance: Jack Armstrong (President), Danielle Jesser (Vice President), Helen Martin (Treasurer), Judy Stewart (Honorary Secretary) and Steven Pritchard (Research and Publicity Officer).

The societies registrar, member and Local Historian Glen Hall was unable to attend the lunch.

Mr Pritchard said, “It was great to have so many attend our special 50th anniversary lunch.

“The fact we are still here today celebrating our 50th anniversary is quite an achievement, considering the changes that have occurred in accessing historical information compared to fifty years ago.”

Mr Prichard added that a lot has changed over the years.

“However, the collection of books, maps, newspaper clippings/supplements and photographs that has been built up by the society over the years is still very much being used, with the requests sent to us and those visiting us, looking for information,” he said.

“We would like to thank everyone who has supported us and been members of our society during the past half a century.

“We hope to be still here for many years to come.”

Contributed by Steven Pritchard

Attendees of the Mackay Historical Society’s 50th anniversary lunch. Photo contributed

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If you are a frequent user of the River Street boat ramp, enjoy purchasing your fresh riverside seafood or like to take a stroll along the Bluewater Trail near the river mouth, you will need to be aware of a new traffic update along your journey.

River Street, between Carlyle and Lawson streets, has permanently changed to a one-way traffic flow in a westerly direction.

The change took place last Sunday (August 21) as part of the new Riverside Development.

Traffic control will be in place between Carlyle and Burns streets from this time and will remain while upgrade works to River Street are completed.

As part of these works, all on-street parking will be converted to angle parking along the levee wall.

Mackay Regional Council asks motorists to follow all site signage in the area.

A stretch of River Street between Carlyle and Lawson streets, has permanently changed to a one-way traffic flow

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A convoy of Postie bikes are making their way from Mackay to Bundaberg and back in a bid to raise vital funds for regional families battling childhood cancer.

The annual Postie Bike Safari will see over 40 riders cover 1,800 kms over a week-long escapade around regional Queensland. Along the way they’ll bring gifts and spread awareness about Childhood Cancer Support and the services they offer for regional families who must travel to Brisbane for life-saving cancer treatment.

So far, the group has raised over $110,000 and Childhood Cancer Support Committee Member and Postie Bike Safari participant, Bert Pulman says they are proud to raise funds for such an important charity, with Bert having first-hand experience of the support Childhood Cancer Support offers.

“The team picked Childhood Cancer Support as their charity again this year because they can see the impact their services have by accommodating regional families with children that require treatment for cancer,” says Bert.

“I personally have used the facility when my son was receiving treatment in Brisbane.

“Childhood Cancer Support is thankful for any money raised and thanks all the riders, organisers, support people and sponsors that have done such an amazing job in raising funds so far.

“We keep off the main roads and hit the dirt as much as possible. We have a great team of riders and support members who enjoy the eight days on the road raising money for a well-deserved charity.”

Follow their journey, or donate to the Postie Bike Safari by visiting https://fundraise.ccs.org.au/event/postie-bike-safari

Childhood Cancer Support is a children’s cancer charity for regional Queensland families who must travel to Brisbane for life-saving cancer treatment. They provide families with free short-term and long-term accommodation as well as transport to and from hospital, emotional and social support.

Postie bikes set off from Mackay last weekend to ride to Bundaberg and back to raise funds for childhood cancer support

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Taking pride in your community is alive and well in the Northern Beaches subdivision of Royal Sands, where a group of children perfectly captured the essence of #MackayPride.

The basketball half court has been a feature of the estate for around six years, but through plenty of use, the net had degraded and eventually fell off the hoop.

A group of children decided to fix the problem themselves, as captured by resident Brenda-Lee Anson.

Ms Anson reported on the Royal Sands Community Group page on Facebook that Max (pictured in the white shirt) supplied the net and the group worked together to install the new net onto the hoop.

Garnering more than 100 ‘likes’ the post was warmly received by the residents of Royal Sands, who praised the children for their proactiveness and teamwork.

“Well done kids, please let me know if you need anything else, I will donate,” said Scott Andreassen.

The basketball half court was installed by Mackay Regional Council after consultation with the Northern Beaches community, and is largely thanks to the effort of former Northern Beaches High School student, Daniel McLean.

Daniel approached council saying he plays and referees basketball but had to travel into Mackay to practice. Daniel prepared a petition and went door-to-door to get signatures. The basketball court received 66 per cent of the vote during consultation and has been a well-used community facility since.

Photo credit: Brenda-Lee Anson

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Last week, members of the community gathered to remember the sacrifice of those who served during the 10 years of Australia’s involvement in the Vietnam War.

Vietnam Veterans’ Day was originally known as Long Tan Day which commemorates the day in 1966 when the battle of Long Tan was fought by the men of D Company, 6th Battalion, the Royal Australian Regiment (6RAR).

Vietnam Veterans’ Day was first commemorated in 1969 with the raising of a cross at the battlefield by the men of 6RAR, this has been adopted to cover all veterans who served in the Vietnam War – the longest conflict in Australia’s history.

60,000 Australians served during the decade of war. Sadly, 521 died and 3,000 were wounded.

On Vietnam Veterans’ Day on August 18, the state government launched the second round of the $4 million Queensland Remembers Grants Program, helping ex-service and other not-for-profit organisations to honour Queensland veterans and their families.

“Queenslanders continue to demonstrate their commitment to honouring our veterans and sharing their stories – always turning out in enormous numbers for Anzac Day, Remembrance Day and other commemorative events throughout the year,” the Premier said.

“The Queensland Remembers Grants Program is an important part of the Queensland Government’s efforts to ensure we appropriately honour the courage and sacrifice of the men and women who have served this country.”

Assistant Minister to the Premier for Veterans’ Affairs Bart Mellish said the Queensland Remembers Grants Program builds on the state government’s extensive investment in the veteran community.

“Honouring veterans, recognising their extraordinary contributions, and ensuring the continued health and wellbeing of veterans and their families is important, ongoing work,” Mr Mellish said.

The second round of the Queensland Remembers Grants Program is now open for submissions and will close at 5pm on 4 October 2022.

Vietnam Veterans’ Day service at Mirani. Left to Right: Bob England (Vietnam Vet. Navy Ret.), Mayor Greg Williamson (RAAF Ret.) Jan Lindbergs (RAAF Ret.), Mackay RSL President Ken Higgins OAM (Vietnam Vet. 6RAR D Company 1969-1970 Ret.)

Vietnam Vet. Ray Higgins Ret. (6RAR Mortars 1969 – 1970)

Vietnam Veterans’ Day service at Mirani

Phuoc Tuy Province, South Vietnam. May 1971. A section of soldiers from C Company, 2RAR /NZ (ANZAC) (The ANZAC Battalion comprising 2nd Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment and a component from the 1st Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment) taking part in the battalion's final operation in Vietnam before returning to Australia later in the month. Private Ray Beattie (left) of St Kilda, Victoria and members of the section are spread out to his left.

Original description and photo sourced by The Australian War Memorial collection/C319339

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Impressive Innovation At The Master Builders Mackay & Whitsunday Housing & Construction Awards

The Urban Trend Difference

Building A Better Mackay

Give Me A Home Among The Gum Trees

Refurb Over The Reef

To Be Enjoyed For Years To Come

A Matt Brady New Build

Top Dogs Of Affordable Homes

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Development plans for a new short-stay hospital in Mackay now sit with Mackay Regional Council, in an effort to bolster the region’s healthcare capacity.

Short Stay Private Hospitals has formed an alliance with ReNew Mackay for a 60-bed facility that aims to complement healthcare currently servicing the region.

The alliance says the addition to Mackay’s healthcare landscape will increase quality options for the region.

The development application has been lodged with Mackay Regional Council at 476 Bridge Rd West Mackay, opposite Mackay Base Hospital.

The project would include five operating theatres and the latest in health technology, including space for healthcare services such as X-ray, pathology and pharmacy uses. Plans also include space for a café, and 154 car parking spaces have been included in the lodgement.

“This project aims to complement and strengthen the healthcare options available to residents in Mackay and the wider region,” Short Stay Private Hospitals Director Leith MacMillan said.

“We want residents to receive excellent care close to home without having to travel to other parts of the state or country.

“This helps to reduce waitlists, attracts more specialists to the region and improves overall health outcomes.

“Health technology continues to change for the benefit of patients and we would look forward to working with the Mackay community.”

Short Stay Private Hospitals is an Australian-owned and funded organisation with experience in providing integrated models to communities.

Plans submitted to council read that the facility will operate 24 hours per day, seven days a week, however notes that the health care services will likely contain their operating hours to normal business hours.

It also states that the proposed hospital does not include an emergency department and that ambulances will only be accessing the site to transfer patients to and from the facility, not under lights and sirens.

ReNew Mackay’s Craig Percival said the project added to the vision to improve the region’s offerings to residents.

“Mackay will grow and attract new economic activity if we continue to boost our essential services,” Mr Percival said.

“This healthcare project would be a quality addition to the region.

“ReNew Mackay is proud to link with these positive projects and we look forward to the next steps.”

ReNew Mackay is a locally-led private consortium with global and national success in urban regeneration. Its project partners are companies behind some of Queensland’s iconic buildings, award-winning architecture, community infrastructure and master- planned developments.

Artist impression of a new 60-bed private hospital planned to be built directly opposite Mackay Base Hospital on Bridge Road. The development plans have been lodged with Mackay Regional Council. Image supplied

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Students from all over the region got the opportunity to learn the ropes of sailing last week thanks to the Making Waves Foundation and the inspirational crew aboard the foundation’s vessel Kayle.

The Making Waves Winds of Joy program is operated by a crew of skilled volunteers from Sydney and Newcastle with backgrounds in competitive and casual sailing, facilitating an unforgettable experience for students and people living with physical or intellectual disabilities.

Led by skipper Kathy Veel, the crew takes two groups of students a day out on the sea, teaching them the basics of sailing as well as valuable life lessons.

“It’s not so much about sailing,” said Ms Veel.

“It’s about the teamwork, the communication, stepping outside where you think your limits are, which are skills that (students) can then take to whatever they’re doing in life.

“It’s about changing attitudes internally and also within society’s expectations of what people with disabilities can do.”

Making Waves In Mackay

Departing from Mackay Marina, students from schools including Pioneer State High, Mackay State High, Glenella State School and Mackay District Special School were treated to two hours on the water where they had some magical encounters, including spotting whales and dolphins.

Ms Veel says two hours on the water can make a world of difference.

“What we see with the kids is when they step into the boat, they’re shy, they’re fearful, they’re reluctant to move anywhere,” she said.

“We get them to steer the boat, to help us trim the sheets, just things that they’d never get an opportunity to do, and they start to move about the boat more freely.

“From sitting huddled in their spot, they’ll be up on the bow looking out for whales and they’re very different when they get off the water.”

“For the carers, we’ll hear them say things like, ‘I never thought they could do that.’”

Patrick Borg, parent of Mackay District Special School student Conrad, said the experience was one like no other.

“It was good to give the kids a go at something they wouldn’t normally have a go at, and it was done in such a safe manner,” he said.

“(Conrad) didn’t sleep at all last night, he kept talking about the big ‘canoe.’”

Jenelle Whittaker, a classroom teacher at Mackay District Special School, says the experience was executed in an extremely safe manner.

“Often the level of safety in the things that we do is more suited to the mainstream so sometimes it doesn’t offer the higher support needs that our kids need,” Ms Whittaker said.

“Boats that are set up to cater for kids with a disability are a very rare thing, so that’s fabulous.

“As you can see, they all had a great time.”

The organisation also has programs that mentor young people to work in the marine industries and Ms Veel says there are plenty of examples of the programs starting a passion for sailing in participants.

“People have gone on to be sailors, also to work with shipwrights, and other aspects of marine work,” she said.

Starting in 1993, Making Waves has given over 55,000 people the unique opportunity to take to the seas.

Kayle and her crew will also make stops at Roslyn Bay, Southport, Brisbane, Coffs Harbour and Newcastle on her way back to Sydney, giving children all up and down the coast the experience of a sailor.

To find out more, visit makingwavesfoundation.com.au.

Students from Mackay District Special School enjoyed a day on the water last week with the inspirational volunteers from the Making Waves Foundation. Photo credit: Sam Gillespie

‍Students from Mackay District Special School enjoyed a day on the water last week thanks to the Making Waves Foundation. Photo credit: Sam Gillespie

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I really thought the first one last year was big! By the looks of it all, it will be even bigger this year, raising over $100K for Variety, the Children's Charity.

The amount of music festivals and stadium concerts that I have been to over the years still makes my eyes water, and my bank balance.

Seeing The Eagles live in Melbourne was massive. Same goes for when Simon and Garfunkel did the huge reunion show down south. I have been lucky enough to watch the Rolling Stones, Pink, Simple Minds, and more because of what I do for work. I even got to chat to the guys from Pearl Jam plus a quick chat with Billy Joel before he went on stage.

I also reckon hanging backstage with INXS was cool, but when you break it down, it has nothing on being right here in Mackay, being the MC this weekend for Mackay's biggest ever festival.

Lee Kernaghan and Tania will be here. Graeme Connors will be playing too. Casey Barnes, Beccy Cole, Gina Jeffreys, Travis Collins, and Brad Cox just to name a few. Do not miss all the fun of music and line dancing too.

One extra thing I am nervous about is being the bloke on the microphone tomorrow morning for a charity breakfast with former Aussie footy legend Mal Meninga. He is here and I cannot wait to hear his stories from the field and off it.

Enjoy the weekend and all the fun, including the Cutters playing on Sunday, hot off the back of two consecutive wins.

You can join Rob Kidd from 5am weekday mornings on 4MK 1026 AM in Mackay and Proserpine, 91.5FM in Airlie Beach or just ask your smart speaker to play 4MK on iHeartRadio!

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The one thing we generally don’t think about is rubbish. We put our bins out every week, and the “bin fairies” come and empty them for us. Well, there’s a lot more to waste management than you’d think. So, here’s some interesting facts.

Most people wouldn’t be aware that sales of the materials placed in recycling bins offsets the costs of landfill. All that’s required to become better recyclers, as a community, is to start thinking about items placed in bins as materials rather than objects. There’s a very good reason why we only ask for certain items to be placed into recycling bins – they’re the materials that we can sell to reduce landfill costs and our environmental impacts.

To increase recycling awareness, council has developed an easy-to-follow “What goes where” poster. Schools and body corporates are welcome to order these free of charge to place on their premises to help improve correct recycling rates. Head to mackay.qld.gov.au to order yours.

Mackay Regional Council is leading the way as Queensland’s first organisation to use recycled soft plastics in concrete. MRC was selected as the beneficiary of 3.7 tonnes of Polyrok as part of the Wonder Recycling Rewards initiative, whereby 1000 schools across Australia collected soft bread plastics, which were converted into Polyrok (a 10% replacement for stone aggregate). This not only reduces the need to mine basalt but has also been locally trialled and demonstrated to reduce the heat of concrete by four degrees. Council also uses recycled soft plastics as bollards, signs and benches.

Council also uses crushed glass from bottles placed in recycling bins for road resurfacing. We used 222 tonnes of recycled glass for the access road to Hogan’s Pocket at Eton, which represented approximately a month’s worth of glass collected locally.

Our Waste and Recycling Strategy is due for review, and staff are currently developing a draft, with the aim to go out to the community later this year. This Strategy will underpin council’s actions for waste and resource recovery for the next five years and beyond. We will encourage the community to provide feedback once the draft is released later this year.

Finally, “Clean Up The Mackay Region” is happening from August 15 to 27. People can get involved to help clean up sites impacted by littering and illegal dumping. We encourage everyone to get involved at https://www.cleanup.org.au/mackay.

Councillor Belinda Hassan

Mackay Regional Council

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Sometimes it’s a note left on the kitchen bench. Or there might be an almighty row behind closed doors that announces that the relationship is over.

In the case of Steve and Jenny, there was a full-page ad in last week’s Mackay and Whitsunday Life that gave a strong hint that the relationship is not as good as it once was.

In case you missed it, the full-page ad was a short but prominent note from Jenny claiming Steve was a “filthy cheater”.

Now I’m no relationship counsellor but, reading between the lines, it seems to me that the relationship between Steve and Jenny could well be doomed. (I know, thanks Sherlock).

Unfortunately, a portion of real estate sales come about due to relationship breakdowns and an agent has to manage the process.

Sometimes it is harmonious, other times it’s tense but civil, and there are times when it is more challenging and acrimonious and that is when the agent has to work extra hard on communication.

These are sales that have to happen and many of the requirements of the agent are exactly as they are with any other sale: Ensure the marketing is excellent, create competition for the property, communicate regularly with all parties and get the best price.

It’s the communication that can be more of a challenge in these situations. If the two owners are not talking, the agent has a vital role in ensuring everyone knows what is going on.

The important thing is to provide the communication that both parties need. After open homes and private inspections both owners must be given the information they need to understand how buyers are reacting to the property.

During price negotiations with a buyer, both owners need to know what the buyer is saying.

Sometimes, the sellers don’t agree on marketing strategy or price and that means the agent has to help create an agreement. Again, honesty and clear communication usually get that job done.

Selling real estate is always about helping people get the result they need to make the next steps in their lives.

With a sale resulting from a divorce or relationship breakdown, the agent must be sensitive and  aware but also needs to have a detached professionalism that ensures both parties are treated the same and given an equal level of communication and respect.

It is so important that no matter what else has gone on in a relationship, the sale happens as seamlessly as possible and both parties can agree that “at least the agent did a good job and we can now move on”.

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Mackay nu-folk artist Weathered has won the Mackay leg of Passport to Airlie, earning the opportunity to perform at the Airlie Beach Festival of Music in November.

Weathered is the moniker of Upile Mkoka who says the experience of performing at Passport to Airlie was a lot of fun.

“It was such a solid turnout; it was really cool to see the support from the Mackay community,” Upile said.

“It seems like there’s some good things happening with original music here which is really exciting, especially for a regional centre.

“(Passport to Airlie) is a cool initiative because it’s a great opportunity to see what other musicians are doing in town and meet a lot of people.”

Upile performed amongst a stacked line-up of local talent in the finals including Lindsay Crowley, Olive Rose, Nortica, Raining Roses, Viva and the Wild Sky.

“We’re really, really excited and honoured and keen to represent Mackay,” he said.

“Hopefully we can do the city proud.”

Upile says the competition has given him a taste for playing live music and we can expect a Mackay headline show soon.

Weathered will be performing songs off their new album ‘Until This Love is All That Remains’ which is available now for streaming or purchase.

Find Weathered on Facebook for more information.

Upile Mkoka AKA Weathered has won the Mackay leg of Passport to Airlie. Photo supplied: Upile Mkoka

Upile and his band performing at the Passport to Airlie finals. Photo credit: Cherrie Hughes

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It might seem like the price of sugar is a matter for the growers and the millers, but every one dollar spent in cane multiplies to contribute $6.40 across the region. The industry supports over 5,000 local jobs and 1,700 Mackay region businesses.

There are quite a few factors at play in determining the price for sugar, including Reserve Bank rates and movements of other countries producing sugar.

The price of raw sugar has seen a drop from the recent record-breaking highs of $600 AUD/mt to around $551.

Shifts in India and Brazil have both contributed to this. Brazil is one of the world’s major producers of ethanol, derived from sugarcane. It’s second only to the US, and produced 35 billion litres in 2019. Ethanol production has had strong support from the Brazilian government, and a guaranteed buyer in state-owned Petrobras.

While that is still the case, there has been an upswing in the percentage of cane going to sugar production with higher sugar prices and slightly reduced world demand for ethanol. For the first half of July, 47.1 per cent of cane harvested went to sugar production.

Meanwhile, India is raising its sugar export quota, with an additional 1.2 million tonnes of extra sugar heading to export. Fortunately, CANEGROWERS and Australian Sugar Milling Council (ASMC) success at the World Trade Organisation means that this sugar is no longer subsidised by the state. The move means that India’s exports will now be above 11 million tonnes.

Brazil, followed by India, are the two highest sugar-producing nations globally, and so exert a huge influence on sugar pricing. In perspective, Australia, the world’s tenth largest sugar producer, exported 3.3million tonnes of the 4.36 million tonnes of sugar produced here in 2021.

Recently, we have seen rate rises delivered not only by Australia’s Reserve Bank, but there have also been likewise moves in the United States, from the US Federal Open Market Committee. On the ground, rate rises put pressure on producers as a rise in costs, and that pressure reflects on world sugar prices.

Ongoing cost-of-production pressure with high fuel and fertiliser and chemical costs have all taken a price increase in the recent past, soaking up a large proportion of added income drawn from a strong sugar price.

As we see the world economy in a somewhat precarious situation as a result of Covid, instability from Chinese expansionism and the Russian invasion of the Ukraine, we hope to see some settling of these increases in the near future so that we can again get a real grasp on our cost of production.

While we are dealing with fluctuating prices most growers are like any business and are not able to see into the future and what farm input price rises will mean to their business in the long term.

Even though we have seen a softening of prices, growers have had the opportunity to take advantage of the stronger prices that were available in the past months. As a result of Marketing Choice legislation, Forward Pricing has been an added optional management tool that growers have had access to for the past 10 years or so. It gives growers that take this option the ability to insulate themselves from the price volatility that we are seeing at this stage.

With that said, prices are still very attractive, and growers will continue to make the best of all opportunities as they arise.

Raw Sugar on the move at Mackay Sugar Terminal. Picture: Contributed

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One of Business Network International’s (BNI) Mackay chapters welcomed visitors of varying professions to a special breakfast last week to introduce them to the networking opportunities available in programs like BNI.

BNI started in the USA in 1985 to get like minded people together to generate business.

Networks are organised into chapters and chapters organised into franchise territories, with two face-to-face chapters and one virtual in Mackay.

BNI North Queensland franchise owner Bernie Hock has been involved in BNI for over 16 years and says generating business is one of the main benefits.

“If you’re in business and want more business, BNI is a great vehicle for that,” he said.

“It’s sort of like a way of marketing your business but it’s relationship marketing, you get to mix and mingle with people from different walks of life and different trades or businesses or professions.”

Visitors were asked to introduce themselves and their business before presentations were given to introduce the concept and fellow members.

A time for chatting and networking followed the presentations.

Copywriter, business owner and vice president of the Excelsior chapter Katrina Nissen says she’s been involved for almost three years.

“I’d only just moved to Mackay, and it was one of those things that I thought would be really great for helping my business and my confidence as well,” she said.

“I’ve been really able to grow my business exponentially from that.”

“There’s networking and then there’s a different type of networking when you come to BNI.”

Excelsior president and business owner Carl Allen says he was apprehensive at first.

“I actually thought I was coming to a church group, and I wasn’t real keen about that but then I realised I needed to network a bit more…it’s paid dividends,” he said.

“We’re all excited to be here on a Thursday morning mainly because we’re like minded business people.”

The Excelsior chapter of BNI welcomed visitors last week

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Mackay Council residents are advised that rate notices will start appearing in letterboxes and inboxes from next week.

They will be issued on Monday, August 22, and residents should receive them shortly after. Payment will be due on Wednesday, September 21, 2022.

To be eligible for the Early Bird Payment Initiative, residents are encouraged to pay their rates by Monday, September 5, to go in the draw for the chance to win one of three $500 prizes. Conditions apply.

Residents are also advised that they can pay their rates online through council’s website. Just follow the instructions on your rate notice.

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