Urban and rural addressing
Cowra Council is responsible for the issue of all urban and rural addresses in the Shire. This is an important service because it allows your property to be easily identified by a whole range of service providers within the community including, emergency services (eg. fire, ambulance, police), postal services (eg. regular mail delivery and special packages) and other service and utility providers.
Please explore the FAQ’s below to find out further information on urban and rural addressing.
Urban Addressing Frequently Asked Questions
What is classified as urban address?
Council will issue an urban address for most properties that are located within the Cowra Township, or within one of the Shire’s eight villages including Woodstock, Gooloogong, Wyangala, Darbys Falls, Billimari, Wattamondara, Noonbinna & Morongla.
How does urban addressing work?
Urban addressing must be assigned by Council in accordance with the Australian / New Zealand Rural and Urban Addressing Standard (AS4819).
This can be a complicated process and many things need to be taken into consideration, so please do not allocate your own number. This can cause many complications for postal and emergency services.
Most properties within the urban area of the Cowra Township or within the various Villages already have an assigned urban address. Council will generally issue an urban address at subdivision stage for new properties to ensure that the addressing information is available to be used at the earliest opportunity.
How can I get an urban address?
Contact Council’s Environmental Services on (02) 6340 2040 to clarify your urban address or request one to be issued for your property. Alternatively, email your request to council@cowra.nsw.gov.au
Are there any requirements for displaying my urban address?
Urban addresses should be displayed in the following manner to ensure that your property is easily identifiable to emergency, postal and other service providers in the community:
- In a clearly legible and suitably sized manner on the mail box, and
- In a clearly legible and suitably sized manner on the front facade of the dwelling.
- Clear of any shrubs, bushes or plants that may hide the address number.
Do urban addresses ever get changed?
Address changes are avoided by Council unless the numbers being used are in conflict with another address and are not in accordance with the Australian / New Zealand Rural and Urban Addressing Standard (AS4819).
It is paramount that road numbers meet the standard to minimise any delays, especially in an emergency situation.
Where Council believes that it will be necessary to change an urban address, the property owner will be consulted in relation to the change before the change is made.
Rural Addressing Frequently Asked Questions
What is classified as a rural address?
Rural addresses are issued for properties that are located outside of the Cowra Township and Shire Villages. Rural addresses are normally issued for properties in rural or agricultural areas, however some properties on the outskirts of urban areas may also require a rural address.
How does rural addressing work?
Like urban addressing, rural addressing must be assigned by Council in accordance with the Australian / New Zealand Rural and Urban Addressing Standard (AS4819).
This can be a complicated process and many things need to be taken into consideration, so please do not allocate your own number. This can cause many complications for postal and emergency services.
Rural addressing numbers are based on a distance from the starting point – usually a road intersection – with odd numbers on the left and even numbers on the right.
How can I get a rural address?
Cowra Council has already allocated rural addresses to many areas of the Cowra Shire. Contact Council’s Environmental Services on (02) 6340 2040 to clarify if your property has already been issued with a rural address. Alternatively, email your request to council@cowra.nsw.gov.au.
If a rural address has not already been allocated for your property, then it will be necessary for you to apply to Council to have one allocated. You will need to fill an application form(DOC, 66KB) and pay a small fee. The fee covers the cost of Council physically driving to your property, measuring the distance from the starting point to your property gateway and allocating the rural address number. You will also receive a rural addressing plate containing reflective numbers that is suitable to be erected at your property gateway.
Are there any requirements for displaying my rural address?
Rural addresses should be displayed in the following manner to ensure that your property is easily identifiable to emergency, postal and other service providers in the community:
- On the gate to the entrance of your property, or
- On the fence beside the main entrance to your property, or
- On the mailbox at the entrance of your property, or
- A combination of the above.
The rural address number should also be placed in a location that is clear of any shrubs, bushes or plants that may hide the address number.
What happens if my property has more than one gateway or more than one dwelling?
Then alternate or additional numbering may be required and you should contact Council’s Environmental Services Department on (02) 6340 2040 for further information.
What should I use as my mailing address?
Council recommends that you use your allocated rural address. For example:
Residents Name AB & CD Resident
Property Name (if applicable) “Windyhill”
Rural Address Number 1234 Alphabet Road
Locality State Postcode COWRA NSW 2794