Mobile Black Spot Program Round 8—Project Noticeboard

Woodside Beach is located 10km from the town of Woodside and is a popular surf beach and campsite.

Woodside Beach has a surf club and has a patrolled beach during the summer. Mobile coverage is patchy at best in this region and in times of an emergency mobile coverage cannot be relied on to call emergency services, particularly if access cannot be gained to the surf club to use the landline.

This area has become increasingly popular for tourists and improved mobile coverage would ensure that the residents and visitors to this community have access to reliable service particularly in times of emergency.

The mobile reception along Bengworden Road has low/patchy mobile coverage on parts of the route.

This road has become increasingly popular as an alternate to the Princes Highway and the growing communities located along the route have experienced a deterioration in coverage when driving the road and at home.

This road has experienced increased traffic in recent years and has an escalating wildlife problem causing traffic accidents. School bus services also service this community and utilise the road.

The unreliability of mobile phone coverage impacts economic activity, amenity for travellers and safety in a bushfire risk area.

Clifton Creek is located 12 kilometres north of Bairnsdale and was greatly impacted by the Black Summer Bushfires.

Mobile reception in Clifton Creek is patchy with half of the community enjoying good coverage and the other half located in the valley experiencing inadequate reception. This community requires reliable mobile phone coverage to ensure they are kept up to date with current information and messaging in times of a natural disaster.

The unreliability of mobile phone coverage impacts economic activity, amenity for travellers and community safety in a bushfire risk area.

Wulgulmerang East is located in far East Gippsland on the Gelantipy Road which is used not only by local residents but 4WD enthusiasts and tourists.

There is no mobile coverage here, and very limited access to landline connections in times of emergency. Increased mobile coverage would benefit farm and rural safety in this region and is supported by local residents and regular visitors to this remote part of East Gippsland.

This region is impacted by bushfires and the unreliability of mobile phone coverage impacts the safety of travellers in a bushfire risk area.

Hiawatha is located 25 kilometres north-west of Yarram in South Gippsland.

It is home to Minnehaha Falls which is a popular swimming hole and offers free camping located within the State Forest.

This area has no mobile coverage and concerns have been raised by tourists and local residents that in times of an emergency such as bushfires, there is no way to communicate with visitors to the region or contact emergency services.

This region experiences numerous weather events and has experienced fires in the past. Improved mobile coverage would ensure that the residents and visitors to Hiawatha have access to reliable service in times of emergency.

This town located 165 kilometres east of Melbourne with a population of more than 1,000 people has inconsistent mobile coverage.

The community has experienced patchy coverage to date and requires reliable mobile coverage given its close proximity to Boola Boola State Forest and the possibilities of bushfire risk.

The unreliability of mobile phone coverage impacts economic activity, amenity for travellers and safety in a bushfire risk area.

"The Paps" have always sited mobile transmission towers. Transition to 4G/5G via huge growth in data use now causes transmission failures, due to this technology's inability to cope with distance and geographic features—hills, trees etc.

This has "created" new black spots. Mobile towers, closer to permanently populated and high visitation areas are needed to carry the advantage of 4G/5G data transmission to communities, business, agriculture and our many visitors.

The transmission resilience of 3G is not replicated in 4G/5G.

Towers are now needed to be strategically situated, closer to these areas to enable reception at all.

These areas face significant communication gaps, especially during emergencies like bushfires and storms. Black spots hinder local businesses, jeopardise emergency responders, and put residents at risk.

Vital roads like Edenhope-Penola Road, relies heavily on mobile coverage for safety and economic activity. 2021 bushfires highlighted the critical need for reliable communication as damaged infrastructure left communities isolated.

Addressing black spots will enhance safety and resilience for rural Victoria.

This proposal is strongly supported by our community, Dr Anne Webster MP, Member for Mallee, Regional Development Victoria and CFA Dist. 17.

Mobile service coverage is essential for modern life, playing a crucial role in supporting local businesses, particularly in the agriculture sector, as well as ensuring the safety of residents.

In rural areas, particularly the Wimmera Highway and Kaniva-Edenhope Road near the Little Desert, mobile black spots create significant communication challenges.

These gaps disrupt business operations, compromise the efficiency of emergency responders, and endanger residents and volunteers during critical situations.

This proposal is strongly supported by our community, Dr Anne Webster MP, Member for Mallee, Regional Development Victoria and CFA Dist.17.

The area is isolated and abuts the busy Midland Highway between Benalla and Shepparton. It is subject to flooding and bushfires.

Residents have repeatedly voiced concern at the poor communications, particularly in times of emergency.

The Euroa Mansfield Road is a busy road that facilitates movement between the Hume Highway and the Maroondah Highway at Merton.

During the winter months, it carries high numbers of traffic seeking access to some of the Victorian snowfields. The Gooram waterfalls are a major tourist attraction.

The district sits in the Strathbogie ranges, is isolated, subject to bushfires and long-term power outages and residents as well as visitors are at risk, particularly in times of emergency.

Locksley is situated adjacent to the Hume Highway in north central Victoria.

It is a small isolated farming community and there is a significant gap in coverage of the locality and the nearby Hume Highway, meaning that both locals and travelers on the main Sydney to Melbourne road are unable to access reliable communications during emergencies.

This lack of access also affects farming and other commercial activities.

Mobile black spots in Nillumbik Shire present problems in emergency situations and the day-to-day lives of residents. 80% of community members who completed a survey stated poor connection occurs 24 hours a day.

The vast rural areas of Nillumbik make it a dangerous region to experience loss of connection during summer months due to bushfire risk and in times of severe weather events.

Severe weather and fire events have affected our region in 2022 and 2021 (storm and flood events) and the 2009 Black Saturday fires.

Reliable coverage is essential to ensure local emergency service providers and our community has 24/7 access in their times of need.

Mitchell Shire Council is working on a community-led emergency planning initiative to enhance resilience in high fire risk areas, including Tallarook, a rural town affected by various natural disasters.

A key theme is community connection, crucial for effective emergency planning and recovery.

Given Tallarook's isolation, a reliable telecommunications network is vital for connecting residents and visitors during emergencies, where many recreational activities occur.

Improving mobile reception along Goulburn Valley Highway and throughout Tallarook will significantly aid in emergency response, ensuring better safety for 748 residents and visitors.

Major industries such as Goorambat solar farm (commencing 2025) and agricultural farming, are reliant on decent communications for farm safety and use of technology to monitor daily farm operations. 

Also a very high tourism area as part of the the NEVic Silo Art Trail with visitors complaining regularly of limited to zero mobile coverage, which also impacts local businesses with the ability to accept EFTPOS transactions.

Only one bar or no mobile reception in the manufacturing and health precinct in Benalla's CBD to the east of Bridge Street including Sydney Road, Samaria Road, Coster Street plus Murrays and Yarrawonga Roads.

The Enterprise Park industrial park is also impacted by the lack of telecommunications with a new manufacturing precinct envisioned as part of the Forestry Transition program in the Yarrawonga Road Industrial 2 precinct.

Major industries impacted currently include: SES Regional Headquarters; Benalla airport; Schneider Electric, LS Precast; Australian Munitions and NIOA; Benalla Health and Cooinda Aged Care.

Extremely poor signal to the east of the Hume Freeway into the Strathbogie Ranges forested area. Prone to bushfires, flood and major storm damage in last 18 months. 

One road in and out for vehicles, Important area for emergency access to the Hume Freeway.

Limited to zero mobile coverage on the single road over the Warby Ranges creating safety issues in the event of bushfire, accidents or Emergency Services access as only one road in and out. 

Major tourism area in Glenrowan (with new Visitor Information and Ned Kelly Centre), Winton Wetlands and local Glenrowan vignerons such as Baileys, Black Dog Brewery, Taminick etc. 

The very limited telecommunications access is frustrating for businesses and visitors alike, plus a safety issue in the event of bush fire, flood or other emergency.

The town of Pingelly is in a mobile black spot as it is in a valley. The Shire of Pingelly conducted a series of mobile phone coverage surveys (phone and data) and no locations in 2024 even rated a ‘poor’ signal strength.

All locations were classified as ‘no signal’, with frequent disconnections experienced. The proposal is to locate a new tower in Pingelly which will provide a service comparable to other areas.

The community of Crossman has long advocated for a mobile phone tower to be built within their locality. The Albany Highway runs through Crossman and there is approximately 48km between a mobile phone tower at Bannister (North of Crossman) to the next tower located near the town of Williams (South of Crossman). This lack of service is concerning from an emergency management, economic development, and community perspective and the Shire is continuing to advocate for a mobile phone tower within Crossman and has identified it as a priority project with the Shire of Boddington Council Plan 2024 to 2034.