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.
State or Territory:
SA
Community Location:
RM Williams Way - between Carrieton and Orroroo
Description of community needs:
The RM Williams Way between Carrieton and Orroroo experiences intermittent coverage. A main corridor for freight, locals and visitors travelling to and from the Flinders Ranges and beyond, over five hundred thousand vehicles travel on this route annually.
This particularly creates challenges for tourists way-finding. Agriculture is the primary industry in this area and is particularly vulnerable to bushfires and lack of coverage poses serious risks to firefighters, farmers, and residents.
The prioritisation of this location will support regional development, community safety, and economic resilience.
State or Territory:
NSW
Community Location:
Yamba local area, including Angourie, Wooloweyah, and Yuraygir National Park
Description of community needs:
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.
Co-contributions:
• Willing to discuss potential co-contributions (financial and/or in-kind) with program applicants
State or Territory:
TAS
Community Location:
Rosevale
Description of community needs:
Rosevale is a remote community in northern Tasmania. Unfortunately, Rosevale has never had strong telecommunication connectivity. With a growing population, this situation is becoming more noticeable and more problematic.
Co-contributions:
• Willing to discuss potential co-contributions (financial and/or in-kind) with program applicants
State or Territory:
VIC
Community Location:
Metcalfe (-37.1011, 144.4222)
Description of community needs:
Metcalfe is a small community in central Victoria with residents reporting little to no mobile coverage.
They have compiled a petition with 52 case studies from local residents who are impacted by poor mobile connectivity. This is impacting local business, community wellbeing and poses a public safety risk in the event of fire or floods as their designated emergency meeting place (Metcalfe Shire Hall) has no service.
Local organisations such Metcalfe Community Association, Landcare, Tennis Club, Uniting Church, Hall Committee, Senior Citizens Club, Craft Group and CFA cannot properly communicate with members.
State or Territory:
SA
Community Location:
Willowie Road - between Orroroo to Willowie
Description of community needs:
Willowie Road between Orroroo and Carrieton experiences intermittent coverage. This is a corridor for freight, locals and visitors travelling to and from Wilmington and Quorn.
This route also carries a significant amount of tourist travelling from Sydney through to Perth, Orroroo accommodates approximately 500,000 vehicle movements per annum.
Agriculture is the primary industry in this area and is particularly vulnerable to bushfires and lack of coverage poses serious risks to firefighters, farmers, and residents.
The prioritisation of mobile coverage infrastructure improvements will support regional development, community safety and economic resilience.
State or Territory:
NSW
Community Location:
Yamba and surrounding areas of Angourie and Wooloweyah
Description of community needs:
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.
State or Territory:
VIC
Community Location:
Howqua
Description of community needs:
Howqua Valley, from Howqua Hills area to Howqua River at Lake Eildon still has many black spots. Residents number approximately 221, with 185 dwellings.
Summer visitation of 2000+, from Howqua River entrance at Lake Eildon to the Howqua Hills camping areas. There's a gravel road in/out that would likely fail in an evacuation.
Regardless of coverage maps there's little/ no connectivity on any given day and that ceases during high visitation. Recent network fail (28 October) lost 3 days of service.
Red Hill ridge is a strong contender for a tower, to enable connectivity or SMS warnings in an emergency.
Co-contributions:
• Willing to discuss potential co-contributions (financial and/or in-kind) with program applicants
State or Territory:
VIC
Community Location:
Mitchelton
Description of community needs:
The Mitchelton locality in central Victoria has poor mobile connectivity, hindering businesses, tourism, and emergency response. It hosts iconic wineries Tabilk and Mitchelton, thoroughbred farms, small farms, and a CFA station with limited access.
The locality sits astride the Goulburn River. Seasonal visitor peaks strain the network, and the area's vulnerability to bushfires and in particular serious floods, highlights the urgent need for reliable communications.
Installing a mobile tower will address these issues, enhancing safety, supporting economic growth, and unlocking the locality's potential.
State or Territory:
SA
Community Location:
Tarcowie
Description of community needs:
A small town (population of 41) in an isolated location between Appila and Orroroo with very limited mobile coverage. In addition to farming, Tarcowie has a phosphate mine with four employees, heavy mining equipment and 200 truck movements a year.
Lack of mobile coverage is a big safety concern as there are times when there are only one or two people on site who can’t be reached by phone and in the event of fire, which has happened, employees could not be warned as they were in a part of the mine which has no service.
Trucks struggle to communicate via phone and are not aware of each other’s movements and unable to ring before entering the mine.
Co-contributions:
• Willing to discuss potential co-contributions (financial and/or in-kind) with program applicants
