Street Numbering

The Rural Property Addressing System, with its logically established addresses and uniform address plates, makes every rural and special rural property easy to find. Emergency and other services only recognise this Shire supplied sign, as your official street address. Lot numbers, or Road Mail Box (RMB) numbers cannot be used as a valid street address.

It’s a system that’s simple to understand and easy to use, and it benefits everyone. 

Agencies such as Telstra, Synergy (Western Power) and Australia Post will not supply services to a property which does not have a RPAN. The Electoral Commission will not recognise a lot number, RMB number or property name as a residential address on the electoral roll for voting.

Australia Post will not recognise RMB numbers as these are not valid postal addresses. Even most online shopping forms require a valid street number, (even if you use a PO Box for your postal address).

A RPAN may even save your life or the life of a loved one by making it easy in an emergency for police, ambulance, fire brigade or a doctor to locate your property quickly and without difficulty or delay.

It will make your property easier for vet and stock officers to find, and perhaps save livestock in an emergency.It could help save your home or outbuilding from destruction by fire. As we’ve pointed out, it could even mean the difference between life and death for you or a member of your family. 

The answer is No. RMB numbers are no longer recognised by Australia Post. In the case where your actual mail box is at the closest point where the Rural Mail Contractor delivers, all you need to do is remove the RMB number and replace with the RPAN, including the street name on the letter box if required. (i.e. if your New Rural Property address is “123 Dusty Rd, Rosa Brook”, but your letter box is located at the top of Dusty Road where it meets “Best Rd, Rosa Brook”, just mark your letter box as 123 Dusty Rd.)

If you have never had mail delivery to your property before, check with Australia Post first, to see if they do service your property. 

It’s easy! Just download and fill out the application form in the related documents section of this page which also details how you can make your payment. You can send the form by email to [email protected] or post to PO Box 61, Margaret River 6285, or simply drop the form into either our Margaret River Civic Administration Centre or Augusta Shire Office.

You can also complete the form at the time you lodge your building application, as the access point (driveway/cross over) of your property may be known; if a number has not been allocated the Shire can immediately measure and allocate a number for you. This will avoid delays in the provision of services from Western Power and Telstra as they require this address before they will commence works or connect services. 

In addition getting your RPAN will make it easier for your builder and tradesmen to find your property, and it would also help in the case of emergency services finding persons on site, during the building stage. 

Because the new address is just a number, it won’t encroach on privacy. Indeed it will help protect it: there’ll no longer be a need for names on the gate post. The only agency advised of your new address is Landgate, who are responsible for updating the State & National database address files – these files do not use any identifying information other than the address details, the details are ‘official’ and can be used by organisations such as Western Power, Telstra, Australia Post, Police, Ambulance and other emergency services as required. 

A fee to recover cost of supply and installation of the physical sign and number is applicable. Please refer to the Shire’s Current Fees and Charges Schedule. Emergency and other services only recognise the Shire supplied sign with your number as your official street address. This is covered under the Shire's Street Numbering Local law 2015 (PDF).

Please do not use the address until the Shire has confirmed the details with you in writing, and the number plate and sign has been installed. 

Please allow up to 4 weeks from the time of payment or request to the time of installation of the sign or replacement numbers; there are many processes involved including assistance from the Office of Landgate. 

Urban refers to areas within gazetted townsites. In the Shire these are Augusta, Cowaramup, East Augusta, Gnarabup, Gracetown, Karridale, Kudardup, Margaret River and Witchcliffe.

The main pedestrian access from the street to a dwelling/building for visitors (front door) determines the correct street address for the property. The letterbox must be located on the front boundary of the property on the street to which the property is addressed.

It must be close to the main access with the allocated street number clearly displayed.

Businesses and commercial properties without a letterbox must have the street number clearly displayed and visible from the street. This is in accordance with Landgate guidelines and the Shire’s Local Street Numbering Law 2015 and to meet the requirements of Emergency service responders and other service providers.

All street numbers will be consecutive and where a property street address has been allocated to a property, then that number must be used. Odd and even numbers cannot be used on the same side of street. Odd numbers will be allocated to the left-hand side of a street from the start point, and even numbers will be allocated to properties on the right-hand of a street. Cul-de-sacs will be numbered in the same way, to the head of the cul-de-sac.

Every lot is allocated a property street address, including reserves, schools, public utilities, drainage reserves and the like. Usually one property street address will be allocated per lot, but if foreseen by the Shire and where possible, additional numbers will be set aside to allow for the development potential of the subject lot.

Where a lot has two street frontages (corner lot), then that property will be allocated a property street address for both streets. The Shire will initially use the property street address adjacent to the boundary with the smallest frontage. The unused number will be reserved in case of future use or when a dwelling or structure is built. 

If a property containing a retained existing dwelling/building is redeveloped with an additional dwelling/building at the rear and there is only one street number available, the existing number will be used and a prefix either alpha or numerical applied.

If an existing lot is developed and split adjacent to the road into two or more separate lots with direct road frontage, the following provisions will be applied:

• Where applicable, whole street numbers will be allocated and the allocated property numbers will follow the current street numbering pattern, or
• Where there is only one street number available, the lot closest to the road starting point will retain the original street number and thereafter numbers with suffixes will run sequentially from that point.
• Where there is only one street number available, developments will be allocated suffixes, for example 1A, 1B, 1C and 1D. Where more than four (4) suffixes are required, they will be allocated with a numeric prefix, for example 1/17, 2/17, 3/17 and so on. 

The property owner may apply to change the property street address of a property. However it should be noted that:

• There is a presumption against changing the address of properties, where this results in the need to readdress other properties in the vicinity. The Shire will only consider altering the address of a property if there are difficulties associated with the identification of the property (i.e. where the front door of a house on a corner lot faces the other street).
• The Shire will not agree to a request for a change in property street address in the following circumstances:
  • The number is considered unlucky
  • Religious reasons
  • To improve the “Feng Shui” of the property
  • Personal preference
  • The number is not good for business
  • The number/address devalues the property
  • The property is difficult to sell.
• An unused property street address which has been set aside for a corner lot will not be re-allocated to the adjoining other property as this number may be required for future purposes.
• The Shire will only consider re-allocating other unused property street addresses if the adjacent property cannot be further developed.
• Requests for a change of property street address that comply with the AS/NZS 4819 (2011): Rural and Urban Addressing and which do not affect any other property can be approved. 

Where a change of property street address is approved, the Shire will immediately notify Landgate. Landgate will include the new/amended address in the State of Western Australia’s Address database which is accessed by the following agencies:

• Alinta Gas
• Western Australia Electoral Commission (WAEC)
• Australia Post
• Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES)
• Synergy
• Telstra
• WA Electoral Commission
• WA Police Service
• Water Corporation
• Western Power

All costs associated with the change of property street address remains the responsibility of the property owner. This includes the replacement and/or relocations of letterboxes, cost of new numbers, alterations to numbers on buildings, replacing and/or removing painted kerb side numbers, notifications to other Government agencies, business contacts, friends and acquaintances, etc, as well as alterations to business and personal stationary.