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.

The mobile reception is critical for residents, businesses, emergency services and the public, who travel through the Hume electorate using major thoroughfares linking regional towns to wider Sydney.

There are many new developments and a large influx of new residents who haven’t experienced natural disasters at these locations. These locations have been impacted by bushfires. 

The corridors of Montpelier Drive/Silverdale Road from Lakesland to Wallacia. The localities of Werombi, Thirlmere, Lakesland, Mount Hunter and Oakdale. Additionally, Picton Road from Wilton to Mount Ousley. These thoroughfares are key corridors for evacuations.

There is currently no mobile service in the village of Yantabulla. Given the remoteness of the village and it being the location of the Yantabulla Rural Fire Service shed, the need for adequate communications is a necessity.

There is currently no mobile service in the village of Fords Bridge. Given the remoteness of the village and it being the location of the Fords Bridge Rural Fire Service shed, the need for adequate communications is a necessity.

Hamilton Valley signal strength varies greatly from no signal through to partial 4G/5G due to topology. The risk of fire is increased due to waste management operations, compounded by the increased disposal of batteries.

Current signal strength limits the ability for public to report emergencies within the upper reaches of the valley including council employees through its facilities. Council relies of internal networks and two-way radio back up for reliable communications.

Splitters Creek is a rural bushfire prone area with their own firestation. Emergency calls can only be made through access to personal StarLink connections. This is limited to the strength of WiFi signal at each home.

Signal disappears outside the home. Rural Fire Service currently use traditional pagers to alert volunteers. Standard RFS availability mobile apps not functional due to lack of signal.

Facility to boost phone coverage has been installed on the ‘Place of last resort’ but this is limited to small circumference of the centre. As evacuees increase to the area, this boost is no longer reliable.

The mobile reception is critical for residents, businesses, emergency services and the public who travel through the Hume electorate using major thoroughfares linking regional towns to wider Sydney.

There are many new developments and a large influx of new residents who haven't experienced natural disasters at these locations. These locations have been impacted by bushfires.

1. Razorback—Remembrance Driveway Old Hume Highway, Picton Side
2. Buxton
3. Mount Hunter
4. Additionally, Loomes Hill—The Oaks.

These are key thoroughfares, high natural disaster areas, and key access corridors for evacuations.

Mobile coverage at Hill End is limited and sporadic. There are 111 residents (2021 Census).

The Hill End community has a public school, police station, general store, hotel, Volunteer Bushfire Brigade, boutique accommodation providers, museum and camping grounds.

The public school, police station and RFS will all benefit from better connectivity, as well as the local business community.

Hill End is primarily reliant on tourism and phone coverage is a minimum expectation for visitors from major cities. Better connectivity is likely to help boost tourism in the area and will improve safety for residents.

The site is a designated telco site in the middle of a substantial low coverage area and formerly reported as a black spot area. There have been discussions with all telco infrastructure operators and Mid Western Council but due to the lack of funding in the region, the carriers are limited in their deployment capital and their priority is more growth corridors/peri-urban locations. These operators are interested to resolve the coverage issue along Hill End Road including co-location and co-contribution but only if funding is to be included apart of the Round 8 Mobile Black Spot program or a similar program.

Rugby is located on the main road between Boorowa and Crookwell. This road is a major thoroughfare linking rural towns. This proposal is supported by the local RFS and first responders who have had to leave emergency situations to obtain mobile service to call for assistance. The township of Rugby has no mobile phone reception and being a rural township has had multiple bushfires impact the region.

The greater Yamba area, a growing regional coastal community with a significant resident and visitor population, is experiencing persistent mobile connectivity challenges, including outlying areas of Angourie and Wooloweyah.

Poor mobile reception affects daily communication, public safety, and economic opportunities, particularly during natural disasters such as flooding and bushfires.

Reliable mobile connectivity is critical for emergency services, local businesses, and residents who depend on mobile networks for essential services. Yamba Community Action Network Inc. strongly supports any proposal to improve mobile coverage in the area.

Poor phone reception in the region—additional access for residents needed.

Poor phone reception in the region—additional access for residents needed.

Poor phone reception in the region—additional access for residents needed.

Poor phone reception in the region—additional access for residents needed.

Residents of Ayr, a regional town in the Burdekin Shire, have identified that there is a mobile blackspot in Ida Court, located 4.9 kilometres from the Ayr CBD (-19.54246215867807, 147.41933401478613).

Residents have reported that there is limited to no reception in and outside their homes and they have had to purchase Wi-Fi and boosters to make or receive phone calls and gain access to the internet.

Over 50% of respondents have claimed that poor mobile reception is impacting their business. The Burdekin region is prone to natural disasters including cyclones and flooding and therefore it is critical for strong connectivity across the Shire.

Area is in need of a local cell tower as locals have very poor access to phone reception. A local tower would allow some of these issues to be resolved.

Had a back up tower that has broken, meaning that there is now no phone access at all on the Island and residents are in dire need of support.

A new tower is needed.

Placement of a new mobile tower in locality of Booubyjan in the western Gympie Regional Council area. Key reasons:

• Flash flood prone stretch of Burnett Highway with multiple trap points. 
• Loss of life and serious endangerment of life during ex-tropical Cyclone Seth in January 2022.
• No Emergency Services Radio coverage in the area.
• High accident and fatigue zone. 
• Important industrial highway with significant traffic.
• Landline coverage not always working. 
• Farm and rural safety would benefit from mobile coverage in this area.
• Ongoing, long-term issue, supported by local residents and groups in the Booubyjan area.

To install small mobile phone infrastructure that will support travellers in key rest stops during any disaster or emergency even with Telstra Small Cell Towers at:

• Deon's Lookout Rest Area 80A chg 89.3 (high elevation would cover a large area)
• VJ Lookout Rest Area 93D chg 85.4 (As above)
• Lake Machattie intersection 81A Chg 51.8 (there is no rest area in this location so might need to install – this site would be good during flood events when Cuttaburra is up – nearby rest area don’t need more toilets here but too far away for the Small Cell to reach the turnoff.
• Monkira rest area 93C chg245.7 (good during floods in the Diamantina)