Rural Addressing

What is Rural Addressing?

It is a simple but effective means of identifying / addressing your property in rural areas.

To ensure emergency services, including the police, ambulance, fire brigade and the state emergency service can find your property quickly and efficiently, it is imperative that you clearly describe your address and that when they arrive they can reference the correct number on your property.

In NSW this can only be completed by local Councils in collaboration with NSW Land Registry Services (www.nswlrs.com.au). This also is in conjunction with NSW Geographical Names Board (www.gnb.nsw.gov.au).

Rural addressing must be assigned by Council in accordance with the Australian / New Zealand Standard (AS/NZS 4819) Rural and Urban Addressing.

Property numbers are allocated in a logical sequence based on the distance from the start of the road intersection to your property entrance (Odds on the left & Evens on the right).

Please do not allocate your own number.

For example, the number 1201 is 12.01 kilometres or 12,010 metres from the start of the road.

This makes it easy to find a gateway, even when you’ve never visited before or from which way you are travelling. 

Map: Providing an example of rural addressing. 

A most common starting point is at an intersection of another road (mainly a higher class road) or can also be continuous numbering from within bordering Councils (that have the same road name).

In some cases, numbering has been continued from a bordering Council area and numbering will then begin in our Council area at whatever the distance is from that intersection, within the bordering Council. For example; numbering for Kywong Howlong Road starts at the Riverina Highway (Federation Council) near Howlong and finishes at intersection of Daysdale Road (Walbundrie). 

Map: Providing an example of rural addressing including a bordering Council. 

Displaying Numbers

Drawing: Example of where a number is located to an entrance.

Council will supply the first number, as close as possible to your entrance. Not on an opening gate or in an area where it can hidden by obstacles (shrubs, trees etc.). If you wish to display a number on your own mailbox, only do this if your mailbox is at your property access. See details below regarding Mailboxes.

Picture: Example of where a number is located to an entrance. 

 

Group Mailboxes: (Known as Cluster Boxes)

Council understands the need for some mailboxes to be positioned in a different location and to be placed in groups. It is important that if these mailboxes are in a different location to your property entrance, that you DON’T have your Rural Address Number plate (allocated by Council) displayed on them. The plate is to be attached to your property entrance. 

Please DO NOT place the Black and White Rural Address Number Plate on your Group Mailbox as emergency responders need to know where your property access is.

If your mailbox is located on a different road or in a grouped style, you can paint or arrange another number plate with your allocated rural address number to be placed on your mailbox at your own expense, along with your property name, owners or company name, which ever you wish to use, and this is to assist mail delivery services. 

Picture: Row of Group Mailboxes.

 

What Does it Cost?

Please view Council Fees and Charges for the up to date prices.

 

Secondary Access Numbers

If you require a secondary number for additional access points (truck entrances / shearing shed etc) you will need to contact Council, see details below.

 

Why do we need it?

Important Emergency Call information

To ensure emergency services, including the police, ambulance, fire brigade and the state emergency service can find your property quickly and efficiently, it is imperative that you clearly describe your address (as below).

They will need to know your:

Property Name, Rural Address Number, Road Name and Type, Locality,

The rural address number will be the most important part of your address to give when calling Emergency Services.

• “Clearview” (Property Name)
• 246 (Rural Address Number) Hills Road (Road Name and Type)
• WYMAH (Locality)

Emergency services have struggled in the past to locate rural properties for a number of reasons, including but not limited to;

• The road name or suburb is incorrect.
• Just a property name is used.
• A vague description is used.
• The incorrect number is used.

 

Rural Addressing Conflicts

As a resident if you believe you have been given the wrong locality and that the locality should be from where there mail delivery service comes from. This is incorrect and you need to use the locality given by Greater Hume Council for both property and mailing if you wish to have delivery to the same location. Please contact Council to discuss further.

 

Who receives the rural addressing information?

Emergency services have been updated with your rural address, giving them the information needed to locate your rural property access quicker in emergencies. Please note the rural addressing information is absorbed by other departments and agencies as well.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

• Does this affect my postal/mailing address?

This will affect your postal/mailing address. If you are not using the format listed below, your mailing address would need to be of the same format as the rural address (property address).                                                                                              

Example:

Residents Name:                                                        AB & DE Smith

Property Name (Optional):                                         “Hill Top”

Rural Address Number / Road Name:                       123 Example Road

Locality / State / Post Code:                                       CULCAIRN NSW 2660

Your existing mailing address may look like this; “Hill Top” Culcairn NSW 2660 or RMB 24 Culcairn NSW 2660.

Council is continually updating internal systems to the Standard for Property & Mailing Address Information.

Note: There will be no change for residents who are currently using this format already or rent a PO Box.

• Can I still use my property name?

It is recommended that you still keep using your property name and that you use the above mentioned format. As some property names are replicated in more than one location (see above format).

• I have been using my address for many years and no one has had difficulty locating me in the past, why should I change now?

Because a standard addressing system like this one will ensure that your property can be located in a timely manner by emergency agencies who may not be as familiar with your area as you are.

• Why, when I try and find my address on Google, l cannot find it?

Council does not or cannot update Google Maps, we are uncertain where they get the information from. Greater Hume mapping information is provided to NSW Spatial Services, which set the standards and guidelines and also are the custodians of the NSW Address Database. NSW Spatial Services provide mapping information to many private groups.  For more information contact NSW Spatial Services on www.spatial.nsw.gov.au.

 

Did you know?

• There are 7 properties on Dights Forest Road that are called “Lot 1” - are you still using a lot number?
• There are 12 “Hillview” properties in Greater Hume.
• There is nothing to prevent someone on the same road as you having the same property name.
• Some properties include multiple dwellings that Council still does not know of, these need to be located and given their own rural address. Please contact Council to discuss further.

 

Further Information

For further information regarding your property or your mailing address please don’t hesitate to contact Greater Hume Council.

Council is committed to its residents, to have clearly numbered and current access points to your dwelling / dwellings. As mentioned in earlier comments, this will make response times more affective for any emergency.