Mobile Black Spot Program Round 8—Project Noticeboard

This Highway is heavily trafficked by locals and tourists; Cairns and the Tablelands are major tourism hubs. The Tichum Creek area (Mareeba area) is a Tourist Site on this particularly treacherous stretch of road which includes a large overtaking lane where accidents frequently occur.

No mobile service only exacerbates this danger. The black spot continues along the highway towards Cairns, with another overtaking lane (near Kanervo Road) having no reception.

This area experiences significant riverine flooding (14 moderate-high flood levels since 2000) posing a serious threat to safety. Kildonan Road is a dedicated tourist route serving three reserves popular for camping.

Reliable connectivity is crucial for warning campers of impending flood rises, mitigating risk and enabling timely evacuations. The road has eight steep creek crossings that become impassable during floods, frequently stranding motorists.

Improved coverage allow stranded individuals to call for assistance. Furthermore, improved coverage would benefit surrounding intensive agricultural area and the nearby Toomelah Aboriginal Settlement.

This rural area, bordering state forest and used for broadacre cropping, experiences poor reception impacting residents, especially during emergencies. Fire events in 2022, 2023 highlight the critical need for communication; residents were unable to contact each other or emergency services.

Emergency alerts were sent to residents and were unreliable whether they were received or not. Improved coverage would also benefit traffic on the Cunningham (Annual Average Daily Traffic of 1118 vehicles) and Gore Highways (AADT of 1615 vehicles). Existing towers to the east and south, and potentially local forestry infrastructure (fire towers), could be used.

Residents and local farmers experience extreme difficulty in taking calls, sending messages and accessing internet services.

In an event of a natural disaster could result in lack of access to information and placing additional pressure on emergency services.

Telecommunications is extremely vital in ensuring road users can contact emergency services in the event of an accident on the notoriously dangerous Bruce Highway.

It is also known that terrain impacts signal from towers and on large agricultural properties, loss of telecommunications hinders their productivity and knowing if they are hurt in the paddock, they can call for help.

The Dawson electorate is susceptible to natural disasters, high road fatalities and home to one of the largest agriculture producing regions in Queensland. As a regional area, the Dawson electorate has the Bruce Highway that runs directly through it and unfortunately is known as the worst Highway in Australia for fatalities. Telecommunications is extremely vital in ensuring road users can contact emergency services in the event of an accident. Dawson is also dependent on telecommunications for accessing support services during natural disasters. They play a vital role in managing and mitigating the impacts of natural disasters in the region.

Residents and local farmers experience extreme difficulty in taking calls, sending messages and accessing internet services.

In an event of a natural disaster could result in lack of access to information and placing additional pressure on emergency services.

Telecommunications is extremely vital in ensuring road users can contact emergency services in the event of an accident on the notoriously dangerous Bruce Highway.

It is also known that terrain impacts signal from towers and on large agricultural properties, loss of telecommunications hinders their productivity and knowing if they are hurt in the paddock, they can call for help.

Nature of the issue—Located in a new estate (<5yrs) there are ongoing issues with NBN and mobile reception. No 5G availability, and only one to two bars of 4G which frequently drops out with poor weather.

Natural Disasters—area has been impacted by multiple natural disaster events, and recurrent flooding of Taranganba Rd cutting off the suburb.

Other relevant information—area includes primary school and early childhood centres.

Nature of the issue - surrounding areas have adequate 4G reception but there is a 3 kilometre stretch without reception.
Impacts of the issue - road is used regularly as a thoroughfare for commuters to/from Yeppoon.
Other relevant information - Rural Fire Brigade impacted.
Service impacts near Millers Road.

Residents and local farmers experience extreme difficulty in taking calls, sending messages and accessing internet services.

In an event of a natural disaster could result in lack of access to information and placing additional pressure on emergency services.

Telecommunications is extremely vital in ensuring road users can contact emergency services in the event of an accident on the notoriously dangerous Bruce Highway.

It is also known that terrain impacts signal from towers and on large agricultural properties, loss of telecommunications hinders their productivity and knowing if they are hurt in the paddock, they can call for help.

Nature of the issue—ongoing issues with NBN and mobile reception. No 5G, only one to two bars of 4G which frequently drops out with poor weather.

Impacts of the issue—lower SES area with a great number of elderly residents and housing.

Natural Disasters—area has been impacted by multiple natural disaster events, and recurrent flooding of Taranganba Rd cutting off the suburb.

Other relevant information—area includes primary school and early childhood centre.

Nature of the issue—entire residential suburb with recurring mobile reception outages, and ongoing mobile data issues.

Impacts of the issue—many elderly residents dependent on Telstra payphone as NBN connection is also unreliable.

Natural Disasters—region has been impacted by cyclones in the last 10 years.

Other relevant information—more than 15 kilometres to medical assistance, multiple businesses impacted.

Residents and local farmers experience extreme difficulty in taking calls, sending messages and accessing internet services.

In an event of a natural disaster could result in lack of access to information and placing additional pressure on emergency services.

Telecommunications is extremely vital in ensuring road users can contact emergency services in the event of an accident on the notoriously dangerous Bruce Highway.

It is also known that terrain impacts signal from towers and on large agricultural properties, loss of telecommunications hinders their productivity and knowing if they are hurt in the paddock, they can call for help.
 

Residents and local farmers experience extreme difficulty in taking calls, sending messages and accessing internet services.

In an event of a natural disaster could result in lack of access to information and placing additional pressure on emergency services.

Telecommunications is extremely vital in ensuring road users can contact emergency services in the event of an accident on the notoriously dangerous Bruce Highway.

It is also known that terrain impacts signal from towers and on large agricultural properties, loss of telecommunications hinders their productivity and knowing if they are hurt in the paddock, they can call for help.

Residents and local farmers experience extreme difficulty in taking calls, sending messages and accessing internet services.

In an event of a natural disaster could result in lack of access to information and placing additional pressure on emergency services.

Telecommunications is extremely vital in ensuring road users can contact emergency services in the event of an accident on the notoriously dangerous Bruce Highway.

It is also known that terrain impacts signal from towers and on large agricultural properties, loss of telecommunications hinders their productivity and knowing if they are hurt in the paddock, they can call for help.

Residents and local farmers experience extreme difficulty in taking calls, sending messages and accessing internet services.

In an event of a natural disaster could result in lack of access to information and placing additional pressure on emergency services.

Telecommunications is extremely vital in ensuring road users can contact emergency services in the event of an accident on the notoriously dangerous Bruce Highway.

It is also known that terrain impacts signal from towers and on large agricultural properties, loss of telecommunications hinders their productivity and knowing if they are hurt in the paddock, they can call for help.

More towers/repeater stations are needed right across the LGA—outside of Emerald. Mobile service is now far worse/non-existent with the shutdown of 3G. Service is particularly bad at the southern end of the LGA along the Carnarvon Highway to Rolleston where there is no mobile coverage on long sections of the highway which is a public safety concern.

Residents and local farmers experience extreme difficulty in taking calls, sending messages and accessing internet services.

In an event of a natural disaster could result in lack of access to information and placing additional pressure on emergency services.

Telecommunications is extremely vital in ensuring road users can contact emergency services in the event of an accident on the notoriously dangerous Bruce Highway.

It is also known that terrain impacts signal from towers and on large agricultural properties, loss of telecommunications hinders their productivity and knowing if they are hurt in the paddock, they can call for help.

Residents and local farmers experience extreme difficulty in taking calls, sending messages and accessing internet services.

In an event of a natural disaster could result in lack of access to information and placing additional pressure on emergency services.

Telecommunications is extremely vital in ensuring road users can contact emergency services in the event of an accident on the notoriously dangerous Bruce Highway.

It is also known that terrain impacts signal from towers and on large agricultural properties, loss of telecommunications hinders their productivity and knowing if they are hurt in the paddock, they can call for help.

Residents and local farmers experience extreme difficulty in taking calls, sending messages and accessing internet services.

In an event of a natural disaster could result in lack of access to information and placing additional pressure on emergency services.

Telecommunications is extremely vital in ensuring road users can contact emergency services in the event of an accident on the notoriously dangerous Bruce Highway.

It is also known that terrain impacts signal from towers and on large agricultural properties, loss of telecommunications hinders their productivity and knowing if they are hurt in the paddock, they can call for help.

In the Somerset Region of the Blair electorate mobile phone coverage and access to internet data services can be extremely limited. Specifically, this includes the communities of Ironbark, Toogoolawah, Kilcoy, Fernvale and Harlin, Lowood, Thagoona, Coominya and Monsildale. While this is a daily issue for many families across the region, during flooding and other major weather events, the constant dropouts, failures to connect, slow speeds and repeated reconnections are common, frustrating and potentially life threatening.