Mobile Network Hardening Program Round 3—Project Noticeboard

The District of Monbulk is one of the most vulnerable from power outages due to bushfires, storms and other natural disasters. As evidenced during Ash Wednesday fires, Cockatoo is highly vulnerable to bushfire and the Cardinia Shire end of the Dandenong Ranges has experienced several severe weather events in the past year alone. As a result, prolonged power outages occur with increasing regularity and telecommunication towers cease to function within hours. This poses significant risks, especially during bushfire season.

When the Cockatoo communications tower fails due to no power, the communication network goes down in Cockatoo and surrounding areas. Power outages can last for several days, yet the towers are powered for only a few hours by backup power supply.

Without telecommunications;

• Townships are isolated
• Emergency 000 calls cannot be made
• Residents cannot check on family members or neighbours
• Emergency services (CFA/SES) cannot easily contact their volunteers
• Vic Emergency, news outlets, council website and other important information cannot be accessed for the latest updates
• Emergency services put their own lives at risk, not being able to communicate via phone
• Residents (particularly vulnerable residents) are put at risk as they cannot contact anyone for help
• ATM and EFTPOS services no longer work, leaving residents without access to essentials such as food, fuel and essential medications.

There is an urgent need for telecommunication tower hardening across the District of Monbulk.

Telecommunications towers are critical pieces of infrastructure that allow communities to connect to work, education, friends and family, and perhaps most critically, emergency information.

At present, telecommunications services are not reliable in many parts of the Yarra Ranges, with significant sections of land receiving 'unusable' service coverage, including Macclesfield. The lack of coverage poses a particular danger to the approximately 900 residents of this area which is particularly prone to bushfires. A lack of mobile coverage in an environmental disaster could lead to a loss of life.

When mobile towers lose power during an outage (which in this region, often occurs due to a storm or bushfire), residents have no way of communicating with each other or emergency services. Mobile Network Operators send technicians to affected towers, but the restoration process can take days. Hardening the Macclesfield mobile tower would dramatically improve the safety of the community during a disaster, allowing residents to have access to mobile coverage while waiting for power to be restored.

The Shire of Augusta Margaret River has faced significant challenges due to bushfires and prolonged power outages caused by storm damage, leading to disruptions in communication with the community and their ability to receive updates from emergency services. With many areas accessible by only a single entry/exit point, evacuation routes can become restricted, highlighting the critical importance of effective communication during all phases of an emergency.

Given the large geographical area and the lack of redundancy in mobile telecommunications infrastructure, it is essential to ensure that towers remain operational when responding to natural disasters, such as storms or bushfires. To address this, we propose equipping mobile telecommunications towers in critical locations, including but not limited to Prevelly/Gnarabup, Gracetown, Augusta (town), Molloy Island, and Deepdene, with adequate battery storage and solar power infrastructure, as previously experienced loss of power has resulted in complete loss of the mobile network in impacted areas. Additionally, there is a need to expand the limited mobile coverage in areas like East Augusta and Hamelin Bay. The dense tree canopy and challenging terrain in these regions further hinder adopting alternative technologies, such as direct-to-cell communication, as mobiles would not be able to connect to low-orbit satellites overhead.

Strengthening the mobile network’s resilience would ensure the community stays informed and updated during emergencies. It would also enhance support for response teams by enabling reliable digital communication and addressing the limitations of existing two-way communication systems across the Shire, making it safer for all.

Concerns have been raised through the Shire's Local Emergency Management Committee and Chief Bush Fire Control Officer regarding telecommunication outages within Quindanning and Marradong. This is heightened following severe weather events and have advocated for better battery backup for emergency communication when power is lost. A series of lightning strikes in January 2024, caused 13 fires in the district and also took out the repeater on Mount Saddleback for 18 days. This resulted in the Shire's Chief Bushfire Control Officer having sporadic reception a communication difficulty for 18 days during the height of the bushfire season.

A larger proportion of the of Shire of Northam is located within designated bushfire prone areas—mobile phone towers play a critical role in communicating with the community and first responders during an emergency. Increasing the ability for mobile phone towers to continue to operate during Western Power outages is essential to providing improved community information. Recent events within the state of WA have emphasised the need for mobile coverage during extended periods of power outages.

In Parkerville, Western Australia, a three-day telecommunications outage caused by a freak storm in January 2024 highlighted the critical need for backup power. This was shortly after the 21 December 2023 Parkerville Bushfire that claimed four homes, 10 years after the 2014 fires that tragically claimed 57 homes in the same suburb.

This is a traumatised and neglected community. The absence of communication poses significant risks, including potential new fires from lightning strikes, endangering both the community and volunteer fire brigades.

The Darling Range on the eastern side of the Shire of Waroona is part of the northern jarrah forest. The northern jarrah forest is a highly susceptible of bushfire. Fires originating in the forest have affected the Shire of Waroona several times in the past. Mobile phone reception in the forest is also poor, with little to no coverage in most areas, particularly around Lake Navarino. Lake Navarino is a very popular recreational area for visitors and locals during the summer months (skiing, swimming). Bush fires affecting Lake Navarino put those visitors at serious risk during fire season, and poor phone coverage adds considerably to this risk. Further, improved phone coverage would aid fire fighters attempting to evacuate visitors from lake Navarino.

Bridgetown Greenbushes WA. This proposal is to ensure we can contact agencies immediately to assist in dealing with the emergency, emergency crews are safe, and families evacuating can contact members of their families. 
We propose:
- three Starlink portable units (first defenders) and one for the Forward Control Unit and;
- six fixed at Evacuation centres, Town Halls, shire, the ICC, and SES.
Details: 
Unit cost $400 x 9 = $3600
Installation @$150 per Unit = $1350
Rental - 2 Monthly = $280 x 9 = $2520
Case = $329 x 9 = $2961
TOTAL = $10 431