Council is about to embark on a district-wide audit of rural numbering in response to police, fire, ambulance services, residents and staff raising their concerns.

Beginning June 2009 with the worst affected roads, Council staff will work gradually through the entire district to correct the problem.

Letters will be sent to property owners on each road before the audit commences to advise them of the procedure.  Once the audit has taken place, all residents whose numbers require changing will be contacted by letter and they will then have two weeks from the letter's arrival to contact Council to discuss their particular situation.  If there is no change to your address, you will not be contacted.

The system used by Council is known as RAPID (Rural Address Property Identification) and is worked out on the number of metres each property is from the start of your road to the entrance to your house, minus the last digit.  For example, if your driveway is 2213 metres from the start of your road, your number will be 221.  Odd numbers are on the left and even numbers on the right.

If you have any concerns regarding your rural identification number, you can either contact Council by email or phone Christine Keith, Council's Team Leader Customer Services on 07 571 8008.

Council is guided by Australian/New Zealand Standard 4819:2003.  The objective of this Standard is to provide Council with a comprehensive guide that encompasses all aspects of rural and urban addressing.  As such this Standard incorporates and makes references to a number of existing standards and jurisdictional guidelines relating to different aspects of addressing.