District Council of Mount Remarkable

What District Council of Mount Remarkable does

The District Council of Mount Remarkable (DCMR) is a local government statutory body established under the Local Government Act 1999 (South Australia), serving approximately 3,000 residents across 3,422.8 km² in the Southern Flinders Ranges. The council is governed by seven elected members (six Councillors plus a Mayor) split across the Telowie and Willochra Wards, with a small executive team led by Chief Executive Officer Marc Gardner and General Manager Community Connection Ros Dunn; the General Manager Built and Natural Environment role is currently vacant. Operations are run from a single Administration Centre at 3 Stuart Street, Melrose, supported by a small staff of nine.

The council delivers the full suite of mandated local government services to residents, ratepayers, and the agricultural sector, which is the dominant economic base. Core service modules include rates administration (general rates on capital value plus a fixed charge), waste management (kerbside collection and the Willowie Transfer Station outsourced to Clare Valley Waste, with TechCollect handling e-waste), Community Wastewater Management Systems in Booleroo Centre, Melrose, Wilmington and Wirrabara, Weeroona Island water supply, fire prevention and bushfire safety, animal management via DACO, planning and development assessment (delegated to the regional FRDAP panel with three neighboring councils), public and environmental health, cemeteries across seven locations, and community facilities (caravan parks, swimming pool, mobile library). The technology footprint is modest: a council website, the My Local Services app for service requests, and an ArcGIS-based Patrol Grading Map for road maintenance transparency.

Revenue is generated through a hybrid model: primarily recurring general rates on capital value, supplemented by federal/state grant funding, usage-based service charges (CWMS, Weeroona Island water, waste), and collection of the Regional Landscape Levy on behalf of the state government. Customer engagement is delivered via the website, Facebook, newsletters, community consultations and listening posts, and Council Meetings broadcast via Zoom. As a public sector entity, DCMR is not a commercial investment target; it has no parent company, no shareholders, and reports to the local community through democratic elections.

Name

District Council of Mount Remarkable

Legal name

District Council of Mount Remarkable

Website

https://mtr.sa.gov.au

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The District Council of Mount Remarkable is a statutory local government body serving approximately 3,000 residents across 3,422.8 km² in South Australia's Southern Flinders Ranges, delivering mandated services including rates, waste management, water supply, fire prevention, animal management, planning, and community facilities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Local Government Services

NAICS

Administration of Urban Planning and Community and Rural Development (92512), Fire Protection (922160)

SIC

Sanitary Services (4950)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Works & Municipal Infrastructure (Streets, Stormwater, Facilities) (BPAIACAF)

Keywords

• Local government services
• Council rates administration
• Waste management services
• Community wastewater management
• Rural municipal services

Headquarters

HQ city

Melrose

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Council Rates: Primary revenue source through general rates levied on capital value of properties. Council raises rates using the Capital Value of properties and one rate in the dollar across all land uses, with a Fixed Charge uniformly levied on all non-contiguous assessments. This is essential funding for delivering hundreds of services and facilities.
2. Federal Grant Funding: Federal grant funding combined with rates to deliver services and facilities that community relies on, including bike/skate parks, bushfire prevention, caravan parks, cemeteries, community buses, CWMS, development services, dog management, environmental programs, footpath maintenance, libraries, roads, and aged care services.
3. Service Charges: Service charges for Community Wastewater Management Schemes (CWMS) in Wilmington, Melrose, Booleroo Centre and Wirrabara; Waste Management for kerbside collection; and Weeroona Island Water Supply based on water usage and operation costs.
4. Regional Landscape Levy: State tax collected on behalf of State Government for Northern & Yorke Landscape Board to fund management of natural resources including regional landscape planning, water allocation planning, community capacity building, education and compliance activities.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The District Council of Mount Remarkable is a local government statutory body that delivers essential municipal services to residents and ratepayers across the Southern Flinders Ranges of South Australia, covering approximately 3,422.8 km² and serving about 3,000 people across six major towns and minor townships. Its core offerings include council rates administration, kerbside waste and recycling collection, community wastewater management, water supply, animal management, fire prevention, planning and development assessment, public and environmental health, cemetery maintenance, and a mobile library service.

Product overview

The District Council of Mount Remarkable provides a comprehensive suite of local government services to its community in South Australia's Southern Flinders Ranges. Rather than a unified product platform, the council offers distinct service modules covering: customer-facing services (customer service requests, complaints handling), infrastructure services (waste management, water supply, wastewater systems, cemeteries), regulatory services (animal management, fire prevention, planning and development), health services (public and environmental health, food safety), and community services (mobile library, shared services). The My Local Services app serves as a mobile channel for customer service requests. Services are delivered through the Administration Centre in Melrose, online forms, and various partnerships including Clare Valley Waste for waste operations, TechCollect for e-waste, and participation in the Flinders Regional Development Assessment Panel for regional planning decisions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• DCMR: Shortened abbreviation for District Council of Mount Remarkable used on official branding and communications

Products and services

• Customer Service Council service for handling customer service requests, complaints, and compliments from residents and ratepayers through online forms, the My Local Services app, phone, or in-person at the Administration Centre. Includes a Customer Service Request form and a separate Complaints Form.
• Waste Management Kerbside waste and recycling collection service (general waste with red lid, recycling with yellow lid, green waste with green lid), Willowie Transfer Station operated by Clare Valley Waste, e-waste recycling via TechCollect partnership, drumMUSTER collection, and annual free hard waste disposal days for residents and small businesses.
• Rates Administration Management of council rate assessments using capital value, including general rates, fixed charges, Regional Landscape Levy collection on behalf of the state government, and separate service charges for Community Wastewater Management Schemes, waste management, and Weeroona Island Water Supply. Offers Ezybill for electronic rates notices and multiple payment options.
• Animal Management Dog and cat management services including registration via DACO (Dogs and Cats Online), reporting of dog attacks and barking complaints, and management of native wildlife issues including Little Corella birds, bee swarms, and pigeons.
• Fire Prevention Fire danger season management (typically 1 November to 15 April in the Flinders Fire Ban District), fire prevention guidelines, permit issuance, and backyard burning regulations for townships with boundary maps.
• Planning and Development Development application processing via the SA Planning Portal (PlanSA) using the Planning and Design Code, Category 3 notifications, and development fact sheets. The council is part of the Flinders Regional Development Assessment Panel (FRDAP) for regional development decisions.
• Weeroona Island Water Supply Council-owned water reticulation infrastructure providing potable water to Weeroona Island township, with supply charges and per-kilolitre usage fees, a connections policy, and a standard customer contract applicable to both rateable and non-rateable land.
• Community Wastewater Management System (CWMS) Licensed CWMS operation at Booleroo Centre, Melrose, Wirrabara, and Wilmington. Includes connection requirements, septic tank sizing, desludging schedules (every 2-4 years depending on tank size), and a hardship policy for residential customers.
• Cemeteries Maintenance and management of cemeteries across the district including Appila, Booleroo Centre, Melrose, Port Germein, Willowie, Wilmington, and Wirrabara, with a searchable burial database and statewide cemetery search capability.
• Shared Services and Mobile Library Includes the Flinders Mobile Library providing free public library services to the community, operated in partnership with other regional councils.
• Public and Environmental Health Food safety business notifications and compliance, public health topic guidance covering animals, pests, business noise, and other health matters, plus free online food safety training.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Clare Valley WastecoreOthersClare Valley Waste operates the Willowie Transfer Station and provides kerbside waste and recycling collection services for the council area. Residents contact Clare Valley Waste on 0438 884 340 for bin collection issues. The partnership enables council to transition to a single transfer station model as of June 2021.
• TechCollectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCouncil formed a partnership with TechCollect to accept e-waste at the Willowie Transfer Station. E-waste including televisions, computers, monitors, printers, and computer peripherals can be dropped off free of charge by households and small businesses.
• Booleroo Centre and District Ambulance Services IncorporatedminorOthersTrust deed partnership for management of Booleroo Centre Airstrip operations and facilities. The Airstrip Committee manages operations in alignment with the trust deed between this organization and the District Council.
• Flinders Regional Development Assessment Panel (FRDAP) - Constituent CouncilscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFRDAP is a regional development assessment panel established under Section 34(3) of the Development Act 1993. Constituent councils are The Flinders Ranges Council (FRC), District Council of Mount Remarkable (DCMR), District Council of Orroroo Carrieton (DCOC), and District Council of Peterborough (DCP). The panel comprises 5 members (one elected member or officer from each of 4 councils plus an independent Presiding Member).

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Adelaide Hills Council: Larger South Australian regional council bordering Adelaide. Similar service mix (waste, fire prevention, planning, rates) but with a larger population base, urban-adjacent economy, and broader budget capacity.

Direct peers

• District Council of Yankalilla: Small rural/regional SA council on the Fleurieu Peninsula with similar population scale, tourism-economy overlay, and full-service local government delivery model.
• District Council of Peterborough: Fourth FRDAP constituent council. Similar mid-north South Australian rural council with comparable population scale, services portfolio, and reliance on rates and federal grants.
• Northern Areas Council: Adjacent regional SA council in the mid-north region with similar rural agricultural economy, small-town structure, and a comparable mix of public works and community services.
• The Flinders Ranges Council: Neighbouring South Australian rural council and co-partner in the Flinders Regional Development Assessment Panel (FRDAP). Most directly comparable peer in size, service mix, geographic scale, and demographic profile.
• District Council of Orroroo Carrieton: Constituent council in the FRDAP alongside DCMR. Small rural SA council with similar rates-based funding, agricultural economy, and dispersed township structure — closely comparable operating profile.

Regional players

• Mid Murray Council: Large-area regional SA council with dispersed townships and tourism assets. Comparable scale of geographic coverage and reliance on water/wastewater/cemeteries infrastructure funding.
• Wakefield Regional Council: Regional SA council covering the Wakefield region north of Adelaide. Comparable rural-agricultural base, similar service categories (waste, CWMS, water, planning), though larger in population and budget scale.
• Light Regional Council: Regional SA council north of Adelaide serving rural and township communities. Comparable agricultural base, dispersed service delivery, and similar reliance on rates and federal funding.

Others

• Clare Valley Waste: Private waste-services contractor partnering with DCMR to operate the Willowie Transfer Station and kerbside collection. Relevant as a service-delivery partner and ecosystem participant in DCMR's operating model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/mountremarkablecouncil
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/district-council-of-mount-remarkable

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about District Council of Mount Remarkable