Mobile Black Spot Program Round 8—Project Noticeboard

Cotter and Casuarina Sands; Tidbinbilla National Park/Reserve District; Tharwa and Naas Road have little to no mobile coverage. Each location is prone to natural disaster - a high risk of bushfire. Cotter and Casuarina Sands are additionally subject to flooding, and at other times being increasingly popular swimming, camping and recreation areas have generated a number of emergency responses that have been delayed due to lack of mobile communications.

Black spots within the eligible areas of suburbs of Kenthurst, Arcadia, Annangrove, Dural, Galston and Middle Dural are a significant issue within the electorate.

These black spots limit communication, which is particularly detrimental as the area is prone to bush fires. Further information can be provided on request which details key streets in these suburbs and specific issues.

Community organisations including the Hills Shire Council, Hornsby Council, Hornsby Ku-Ring-Gai RFS and The Hills RFS all support projects to improve mobile reception.

The Berowra electorate invites all organisations to get in contact.

Installation of a tower and telecommunication facilities. This location currently has no phone coverage. The area is prone to fires caused by lightning impacting the area. 

Additionally, this area is a major haulage route with BB-Doubles carting to and from the area, including livestock, produce and timber industry product.

In 2022, Lockhart Shire Council conducted a community-wide survey to evaluate phone and internet connectivity across the region. A total of 215 responses revealed significant issues with mobile reception.

Osborne residents face severe connectivity challenges, reporting weak mobile reception. Survey respondents highlighted:

"Service has been declining for at least the last 12 months." 
"Over the last 12 months the connection and service has got more patchy."

The area's vulnerability to bushfires and flooding exacerbates the impact. Businesses cannot operate effectively without reliable communication infrastructure.

Full survey results are available from the contact provided.

Installation of a tower and telecommunication facilities. This location currently has no phone coverage. The area is prone to fires caused by lightning impacting the area. 

Additionally, this area is a major haulage route with BB-Doubles carting to and from the area, including livestock, produce and timber industry product.

Proposed target location for improved coverage in its LGA is in the Maraylya area which adjoins the suburbs of Gables, Box Hill and Vineyard.

Those suburbs represent a significant part Sydney’s North West Growth Area which will result in a large increase in the residential population of that area and a corresponding increase in the demand for mobile telecommunication services.

In 2022, Lockhart Shire Council conducted a community-wide survey to evaluate phone and internet connectivity across the region. A total of 215 responses revealed significant issues with mobile reception.

Residents between Lockhart and Urana face severe connectivity challenges, reporting zero mobile reception.

The area's vulnerability to bushfires and flooding exacerbates the impact. Businesses cannot operate effectively without reliable communication infrastructure.

Full survey results are available from the contact provided.

Installation of a tower and telecommunication facilities. This location currently has no phone coverage. The area is prone to fires caused by lightning impacting the area.

Additionally, this area is a major haulage route with BB-Doubles carting to and from the area, including livestock, produce and timber industry product.

Installation of a tower and telecommunication facilities. This location currently has no phone coverage. The area is prone to fires caused by lightning impacting the area.

Additionally, this area is a major haulage route with BB-Doubles carting to and from the area, including livestock, produce and timber industry product.

Installation of a tower and telecommunication facilities. This location currently has no phone coverage. The area is prone to fires caused by lightning impacting the area.

Additionally, this area is a major haulage route with BB-Doubles carting to and from the area, including livestock, produce and timber industry product.

The Riverina electorate is susceptible to natural disasters, notably floods, fires and severe storms. A regional area, the Riverina is dependent on telecommunications for accessing support services. 

Telecommunications play a vital role in managing and mitigating the impacts of natural disasters in the region. Its effectiveness influences emergency response, recovery efforts and community resilience. 

Community feedback has identified locations in need of improved coverage to ensure reliable and efficient responses during natural disasters, foster quicker recovery efforts and enable a better prepared and more resilient community.

These are specific poor reception areas requiring infill augmentation and not covered by known planned telco projects:

Kurrajong—Robertson Street downhill from the village; Cedar Ridge Road.
Katoomba—between High School and Cliff Drive.
Medlow Bath—the village is served by towers located at Katoomba and Blackheath and an infill tower would improve coverage particularly on the northern side of the GWH.
Mount Wilson and Mount Irvine—remote villages with minimal, if any, coverage that require resilient solutions.
North Richmond—Kurmond Road between North Richmond and Freemans Reach.

The farming community in the areas of Yethella, Wallacetown, Downside, and Brucedale have limited or no mobile reception at all. 

The Olympic Highway which traverses this area is a major highway linking our regional area. 

Current signal strength limits the ability for public to report emergencies. Mobile coverage is essential to ensure public safety, and business prosperity.

The Riverina electorate is susceptible to natural disasters, notably floods, fires and severe storms. A regional area, the Riverina is dependent on telecommunications for accessing support services. 

Telecommunications play a vital role in managing and mitigating the impacts of natural disasters in the region. Its effectiveness influences emergency response, recovery efforts and community resilience. 

Community feedback has identified locations in need of improved coverage to ensure reliable and efficient responses during natural disasters, foster quicker recovery efforts and enable a better prepared and more resilient community.

Local residents and visitors are experiencing ongoing poor/nil cell phone reception in Angourie, Wooloweyah, nearby popular surfing spots and Yuraygir Coastal Walk through Yuraygir National Park.

It is a busy area especially during holiday times. A possible fatal outcome could occur if there was a shark attack, near drowning, snake bite or a cliff fall.

Also, bush fires loomed towards Angourie and Wooloweyah in 2019 and flood events occurred in 2022, highlighting the lack of cell phone coverage in these areas in the case of an emergency.

In 2023 the Northern Rivers Joint Organisation undertook a major review. This report identified deficiency in infrastructure across the Tweed.

One of the major black spot areas in the Tweed that is within the eligibility areas for the Mobile Black Spot Program Round 8 is the Tweed Valley Way—Crabbes Creek to Murwillumbah.

This is a major regional link between the Pacific Highway and Murwillumbah. It also includes the rural villages of Mooball, Burringbar, Crabbes Creek and Stokers Siding.

Across these urban centres there are over 10,000 residents. Most of the areas immediately surrounding this section of Tweed Valley Way have very poor to no reception.

Installation of a tower and telecommunication facilities. This location currently has no phone coverage. The area is prone to fires caused by lightning impacting the area.

Additionally, this area is a major haulage route with BB-Doubles carting to and from the area, including livestock, produce and timber industry product.

In 2023 the Northern Rivers Joint Organisation undertook a major review. This report identified deficiency in infrastructure across the Tweed.

One of the major black spot areas in the Tweed that is within the eligibility areas for the Mobile Black Spot Program Round 8 is the Pacific Highway between Pottsville and Ocean Shores.

This section of the Pacific Highway (M1) is the most important transport link for the eastern seaboard with thousands of traffic movements daily.

The mobile reception black spot between Pottsville and Ocean Shores represents a serious communications issue. This is not only for communications but telemetry, data and EMS.

The farming community north of Wantabadgery remains emotionally affected by a lack of mobile service from a social and business perspective. 

The erection of a new mobile communication tower within the village of Wantabadgery has not had the improvement promised and mobile reception for the adjoining rural community remains unchanged and inadequate. 

The area is subjected to rolling hills on the eastern side Wantabadgery Road in the localities of Wantabadgery and Eurongilly, and the western side of Wantabadgery Road in the localities of Wantabadgery, Claris and Jeralgameth.

Mobile network coverage needs improving significantly along the Castlereagh Highway from Mudgee to Lithgow which has a history of being impacted and closed by bushfire activity, flash flooding and landslides in severe weather events.

Many locations along this section of Highway (approximately 120km) don’t have mobile coverage, and this exacerbates the significant risk of natural disasters on lives of residents and visitors.

The Highway runs directly along the western side of Windamere Dam and sections of Cudgegong River. Mudgee to Lithgow will benefit from new and improved mobile network coverage projects to help ensure safety.