The Council agreed to issue the landowners with a notice of intention to sell the land at a Council meeting on December 13.

Under local government regulations, the Council can issue a notice of intention to sell land if rates or charges have been overdue for three years.

Cloncurry Shire Mayor Greg Campbell said the Council had attempted to work with the property owners to negotiate payment solutions.

"Council has given both owners an additional four years to repay the rates debt, and to this end we cannot ask other ratepayers to continue to pay theirs, when some owners are not," he said.

Two of the properties, located in Dajarra on Lethem Street and Matheson Street, had abandoned buildings onsite. The third was being used as a rental property, however, the Council didn't report its location.

All three properties had rates owed dating as far back as 2015.

According to a Council statement, the "dormant" and "dilapidated" properties were being sold "to facilitate better access to housing and economic development in the Shire".

Cr Campbell said the combined rates debt on the lots totalled around $104,000.

"This is a significant amount of money," he said.

"This amount would enable Council to fully repair a sewage pump station, is two thirds of our total events budget, or would cover the salary of an experienced Water Treatment Plant operator.

"We are committed to ensure all ratepayers feel serviced and heard by Council.

"We cannot allow rates to go unpaid for years and expect Shire residents and business owners to feel this is OK. It's not."

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