NEW RESIDENTS Living in Litchfield 2020 PAGE 2 NEW RESIDENTS Living in Litchfield CONTENTS Key Contacts 2 Acknowledgement to Country 3 Welcome to Litchfield 3 Your Council 4 Recreation Reserves 7 Your Dog, Your Responsibility 8 Taminmin Community Library 10 Waste Management 11 Infrastructure Management 13 Vegetation Management 14 Thorak Regional Cemetery 17 Living in Litchfield 18 Useful Resources 20 KEY CONTACTS Emergency Numbers Police, Fire or Ambulance Emergency 000 NT Police, Fire and Emergency Services 131 444 Humpty Doo Police Station 8988 0200 Palmerston Regional Hospital (Linco Road, Holtz) 7979 9200 Council Numbers General Enquiries 8983 0600 Rates 8983 0600 Thorak Regional Cemetery 8947 0903 Mayor’s Office 8983 0612 Like us on Facebook to keep up to date with Council projects and events. Say Your www.yoursay.litchfield.nt.gov.au Litchfield NEW RESIDENTS Living in Litchfield PAGE 3 Our Region ACKNOWLEDGEMENT statistics as of TO COUNTRY January 2020. Litchfield Council acknowledges the land of the traditional owners and pays its respect to the Elders past and present for their continuing custodianship of the land 8,307 and the children of this land across generations. RATEABLE ASSESSMENTS WELCOME TO 692.8kms LITCHFIELD SEALED ROADS To the owner and/or resident, on behalf of Councillors 88.78kms and Staff, welcome to the Litchfield Municipality. This UNSEALED ROADS Residents Guide is to assist you in settling in to our wonderful area and to understand what facilities and SIGNS services are available. Situated on the outskirts of Darwin amid tropical rural bushland, the Litchfield Municipality covers an area of 6,132 3100 square kilometres and includes coastal and riverine areas, rainforests and lagoons. RECREATION Boasting a rural lifestyle with a wide range of well RESERVES 7 managed services and facilities, Litchfield has been the fastest growing municipality in the Northern Territory, WASTE with 26% growth in population in a five year period TRANSFER between 2012 and 2017. 3 STATIONS Our Municipality neighbours the City of Darwin, City of Palmerston and Coomalie Community Government Council. Litchfield Council is a local government authority established by the Northern Territory Parliament on 24 2,979 May 1985. REGISTERED DOGS Council committed to engaging with the community and the development of long term plans and policies continues to position Litchfield as 13.81kms the best place to live in the Top End. SHARED PATHWAYS 5 PLAYGROUNDS CEMETERY 1 * Source: id consulting Litchfield Council Community Profile PAGE 4 NEW RESIDENTS Living in Litchfield YOUR COUNCIL Litchfield Council is the local government Council responsible for planning and delivering of a range of services, including: Animal Management Recreation Reserves Thorak Regional Cemetery Vegetation Management Waste and Recycling Taminmin Community Library Infrastructure Management Local Government elections are held every four years with the next election to be held in August 2021. Voting in the Northern Territory is compulsory. Contact the Electoral Commission on 13 23 26 to enrol or change address details via the website www.aec.gov.au Litchfield Council is divided into four Wards; North, South, East and Central. NORTH CENTRAL EAST SOUTH NEW RESIDENTS Living in Litchfield PAGE 5 Elected Members Mayor Maree Bredhauer Phone: 0437 517 709 Email: [email protected] Deputy Mayor and East Kirsty Sayers-Hunt Ward Councillor Phone: 0418 956 791 Email: [email protected] South Ward Councillor Doug Barden Phone: 0429 875 390 Email: [email protected] North Ward Councillor Mathew Salter Phone: 0408 093 838 Email: [email protected] Central Ward Councillor Christine Simpson Phone: 0417 805 302 Email: [email protected] Council Office 7 Bees Creek Road Freds Pass NT 0822 PO Box 446, Humpty Doo NT 0836 Email: [email protected] Monday – Friday 8.15am – 4.30pm Closed weekends and public holidays PAGE 6 NEW RESIDENTS Living in Litchfield Council Meetings Council meetings lead and guide the good governance of Council. Council conducts its formal decision making process through Ordinary Council Meetings and Special Council Meetings, when required. Council Meetings are open to the public. The Meeting Agenda is available three days prior to the meeting at the Council Office and Council’s website. Copies can also be available to the public at the meeting. Council Meetings are held on the third Wednesday of every month (unless otherwise advertised) commencing at 6.30pm at the Litchfield Council Chambers, 7 Bees Creek Road, Freds Pass. Rates Council issues rate notices in August each year. Residents can opt to receive notices by mail or electronically through EzyBill. Litchfield Council’s rating year commences 1 July and concludes 30 June. Rates and charges are set annually by Council and can be found on Council’s website under Council Rates and Fees. Payments can be made either: • End of September – Full Payment or 1st instalment • End of November – 2nd instalment • End of February – 3rd and final instalment Council charges interest on rates and charges not paid by the due date. It is important that your postal details are kept up to date. Please advise Council in writing if your details have changed by emailing [email protected] NEW RESIDENTS Living in Litchfield PAGE 7 RECREATION RESErvES There are seven recreation reserves in the Litchfield Municipality, each offering a special range of activities and healthy fun. Come along and visit a reserve, play some sport, ride a horse, have a picnic or have some fun at the playgrounds and skateparks. Visit Council’s website for booking details for each Reserve. LEGEND Knuckey Lagoon Recreation Reserves Recreation Reserve Waste Transfer Stations Brandt Road, Knuckey Lagoon Offers unspoilt bushland native walks, Land Area: 3,100 km2 play and fitness equipment, picnic and BBQ facilities and a World War II Road heritage site. Howard Park Recreation Reserve Whitewood Road, Howards Springs Offers large grassy picnic areas, children’s playground and a large skate park. Freds Pass Sport and Recreation Reserve ad o Bees Creek Road, R t Knuckey n Freds Pass i o P Lagoon Offers picturesque lake and BBQ facilities, n n u home to over 20 sporting groups and G Rural Markets every Saturday morning. Howard McMinns Lagoon Springs Recreation Reserve Dreamtime Drive, McMinns Lagoon Coolalinga Offers unspoilt wetland with McMinns several walking tracks and a scenic Lagoon lookout lawn area with picnic Freds Pass facilities. Bees Creek Humpty Doo Humpty Doo Arnhem Highway Village Green Challoner Circuit, Humpty Doo Offers a large playground with Noonamah open grassy areas, picnic and BBQ StuartHighway facilities and a shaded skate park. Berry Springs Berry Springs Recreation Reserve Cox Peninsula Road, Berry Springs Livingstone Offers an oval, cricket pitch, tennis courts, children’s play d area and BBQ facilities a o R a l u s n i n Livingstone e P x o Recreation Reserve C Livingstone Road, Livingstone Offers a large oval, beach volleyball court, playground and picnic area and the 34 Mile Bar and Bistro PAGE 8 NEW RESIDENTS Living in Litchfield YOUR DOG, YOUR RESPONSIBILITY Dogs are a wonderful addition to any family and it is important that you understand your legal responsibilities as a dog owner within the Litchfield municipality. Please ensure that you are familiar with the Litchfield Council Dog Management By-laws. These are available on our website under the Animal Management section. Registration and Microchipping All dogs kept within the Litchfield municipality are required to be microchipped and registered. This assists in quickly reuniting dogs that may become lost from their owners. Council provides low cost microchipping at our office which is located at 7 Bees Creek Road, Fred’s Pass. Bookings are essential and can be made by calling 8983 0600 or emailing [email protected] Council offers Annual or Lifetime dog registration. Annual registration expires on 31 August each year. Registration fees are set annually and are on Council’s website under the Animal Management section. Dog registration enables Council to support residents in managing dogs and protecting the amenity of Litchfield. NEW RESIDENTS Living in Litchfield PAGE 9 Lost Dogs All dogs kept within the Litchfield municipality must be securely contained to their property and kept on a suitable leash when in public. Dogs found wandering at large may be impounded by Council and fees may be payable prior to the dog being released. In cases where dogs are repeatedly found wandering at large, an inspection of the property may be required. If the problem continues, Council may consider cancelling the dog’s registration resulting in removal of the dog from the property. Dogs impounded will be held in the pound for a minimum of 72 hours with unclaimed dogs transferred to an animal rescue organisation where possible. Dog Attacks Council investigates all reported dog attacks. Owners whose dogs have been proven to be involved in dog attacks, may be issued infringements. Depending on the severity of the attack, the dog may be declared dangerous and/or seized by Council. Nuisance Dogs As a dog owner, you have a responsibility to ensure that your dog does not cause a nuisance to others within the community. Behaviour such as excessive and persistent barking, fence rushing and chasing vehicles are all examples of nuisance dog behaviour that are offences under Council By-laws. Nuisance behaviour of dogs can often cause disputes between neighbours. The Community Justice Centre provides a free and confidential mediation service and are often called upon to assist in resolving these types of issues. The Community Justice Centre can be contacted on 1800 000 473. PAGE 10 NEW RESIDENTS Living in Litchfield TAMINMIN COMMUNITY LIBRARY The Library runs many programs for a range of ages.