Mobile Black Spot Program Round 8—Project Noticeboard

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 Sandsmere to Telopea Downs North region, bordering the Big Desert Wilderness Park, is home to locals, farmers, employees, tourists, and 4WD enthusiasts.

This area is highly susceptible natural disasters, in particular bushfires. Unfortunately, the current lack of mobile service creates a significant safety gap.

Emergency responses have been delayed multiple times due to the inability of locals and visitors to communicate in the event of accident or serious injury.

Reliable mobile service is essential for safety, improving emergency response and communication in this remote area.

Beechworth Wangaratta Road between Tarrawingee and Beechworth has unreliable/no mobile coverage—particularly the stretch from Boundary Road into Beechworth. 

A rich viticulture region, limited coverage makes running a business challenging, is isolating for residents and a safety concern as it is a high bushfire risk area.

Stanley is an isolated, village located in the hills 10 kilometres from Beechworth in a high bushfire risk area. An intensive farming zone (berries, apples, vines, nursery) offering self-pick and farm gate trade.

The Stanley Hotel and High Grove are tourist destinations attracting hundreds of people each weekend.

Further, the region is popular with mountain biking particularly the recently opened Epic Trail from Beechworth to Yackandandah.

Mobile coverage is limited and unreliable, making communication and reaching assistance during emergencies doubtful. Limited and patchy coverage impacts businesses and residents in Stanley every day.

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.

The mobile coverage issue in the Shire of Kent, specifically in the North-West Nyabing Townsite to Boongadoo Roads and North Fence Road, results in poor connectivity, affecting emergency communication, business operations, and community safety.

This area is prone to natural disasters, such as bushfires and storms, which exacerbate the risk of being unreachable in critical times.

Organisations like Telstra and the Shire of Kent support enhancing coverage for better disaster management and public safety, ensuring timely responses and service continuity.

The Northern sector of Kellerberrin Shire is a heavy black spot with no mobile coverage at all. This was evident during the major incident of 2024 wherein police were unable to communicate with a fugitive involved in a shooting or anyone else due to the black spot area.

Since the closure of 3G, the area of this black spot has increased to the point farmers are having to travel to particular areas of their own farm to receive signal to make or receive calls.

The black spot affects all and sundry as the technology involved in operating farms these days heavily relies on mobile signal.

The Waroona Dam is a popular area for visitors and locals during summer. The Waroona Dam is located in State forest and is at extreme risk of being affected by bush fire.

Unfortunately, the area has poor mobile phone coverage, which makes it difficult for emergency services to communicate in the area when a bush fire or other emergency is taking place.

The area has been impacted significantly in the past. In particular, the 2016 Waroona Bushfire burnt through the Darling Scarp and Waroona Dam.

Emergency services personnel reported communication difficulties then, and the mobile phone coverage has not been improved since.

Several localities within the Shire of Northam have limited mobile phone coverage. 

A number of these are located are within designated bush fire prone areas and communicating with residents and landowners regarding emergency situations is difficult.

In addition, a number of emergency responders that live in the area rely on mobile phone coverage for mobilisation to incidents which has the potential to impact response times and effectiveness.

Bridgetown Greenbushes WA. This proposal is to ensure we can contact agencies immediately to assist in dealing with the fire 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 2 evacuation centres, 2 town halls, shire, the ICC, and SES.

Details: 
Unit cost $400 x 9 = $3,600
Installation @$150 per Unit = $1,350
Rental - 2 Monthly = $280 x 9 = $2,520
Case = $329 x 9 = $2,961
TOTAL = $10,431

Mobile phone blackspots in the Shire of Mundaring, particularly in areas such as Parkerville (as noted in the "Location"), Chidlow, and Wooroloo, pose significant risks and challenges. These black spots limit residents' ability to make general calls, contact emergency services, and receive critical telephone warning system messages during emergencies such as bushfires.

Furthermore, communication for emergency responders is often hindered, impacting their ability to coordinate effectively during crises.

Addressing these blackspots is essential to improve safety, ensure timely access to emergency services, and enhance overall communication.

Central area of Serpentine and Keysbrook, near Hopeland Road. This area forms a significant part of the Shire's primary product economy, with broadscale farming and animal husbandry creating significant output and income for the economy.

It is important to improve mobile data capacity to support the growth of these businesses, and to enable adaptation of autonomous technologies to stay competitive.

It is also an essential technology to address the extreme risk of bushfire in these communities, associated with the rural interface. 

Coordinates = -32.399456, 115.910200

Mundijong Road is a key enterprise and business activity arc, linking the AUKUS naval project area to key defence housing locations such as Mundijong, and the West Mundijong Industrial Area along the way.

There is a need for improved mobile data to support the significant movement of activity along Mundijong Road.

Further, the road is subject to significant high risk bushfire threat, being located along a rural interface with fringing communities all surrounding by high threat bushfire prone areas.

As a key road corridor used extensively by business, residents and broader community, it is a high risk area.

Coordinates = -32.294589, 115.943815

Opportunities exist within the City of Swan for improvements to mobile reception and coverage.

There are significant challenges to mobile coverage in the Swan Valley Tourism Precinct, running from Caversham to Upper Swan and centred on the suburb of Herne Hill.

Addressing these black spots will assist not only residents but also the many businesses and tens of thousands of visitors to the Valley each month.

Insufficiencies in mobile coverage around the Gidgegannup townsite are not only an impediment to growth but also present added hazards in emergency bushfire situations.

Karnup Road enterprise corridor. This corridor is a key link of business and residential activity between the freeway and SW Highway, creating a significant focus for business logistics and transport needed.

It is important to improve mobile data capacity to support the growth of these businesses, and to enable adaptation of autonomous technologies to stay competitive.

It is also impacted by severe bushfire risk, due to the extensive rural interface which exists. Coordinates = -32.363857, 115.933345