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.

Continuous mobile coverage for Thunderbolts Way from Uralla to Inverell. This is a heavily used traffic route between these towns and is an important linking road if the New England Highway is closed. 

It will also see a drastic increase in vehicle movements when the New England Renewable Energy Zone commences. Lack of mobile coverage is not acceptable in this location.

Willow Tree suffers from poor mobile phone coverage, limiting the capacity of businesses to operate in an increasingly digital world. 

The Willow Tree Public School is at risk of isolation through flooding, so mobile coverage is essential to ensure quick communication.

Currabubula suffers from poor mobile phone coverage, limiting the capacity of businesses to operate in an increasingly digital world. 

Currabubula is on the foot of a heavily vegetated mountain which is a high fire hazard. In 2023 a bushfire came within a kilometre of the town. 

Mobile coverage is essential to ensure public safety, and business prosperity.

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 current capacity for Bundarra is inadequate as confirmed by Telstra. In Telstra's own words:

"In preparing to switch off our 3G network, Telstra upgraded the 4G network so that they could be confident it would match the footprint of our 3G network. Our mobile base station that services Bundarra is delivering 4G to the community, but there is currently some congestion".

This has led to residents not having mobile signal, and not being able to use EFTPOS terminals, affecting businesses. This requires urgent attention.

This area is prone to bushfire disasters and is a key route between Armidale and Inverell.

Mobile phone reception is critical for residents, businesses, and emergency services. Nelson Bay Road is the main thoroughfare linking Port Stephens to Newcastle.

The section of road from Williamtown to Fern Bay is an unlit 100 kilometre per hour stretch that has multiple accidents and requires mobile coverage for safety reasons.

The residents of Fullerton Cove and Fern Bay have been advocating for better mobile coverage since 2016.

Mobile coverage is very limited along Buchanan Road, Buchanan to Mount Vincent Road, Louth Park.

This road is a major thoroughfare linking our regional area and is direct route to Maitland Hospital and the NSW Rural Fire Service.

Mobile reception is critical for residents, businesses, emergency services and the public who travel along Nelson Bay Road from Salt Ash to Anna Bay. It is especially busy during holiday times.

Natura Port Stephens at Bobs Farm - a over 55s community has been advocating for better mobile reception for over 12 months. Concerns have been raised about reporting medical emergencies.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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 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.

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.