Community Location:
Warraber Island, Torres Strait
Description of community needs:
Had a back up tower that has broken, meaning that there is now no phone access at all on the Island and residents are in dire need of support.
A new tower is needed.
State or Territory:
QLD
Community Location:
Ayr
Description of community needs:
Residents of Ayr, a regional town in the Burdekin Shire, have identified that there is a mobile blackspot in Ida Court, located 4.9 kilometres from the Ayr CBD (-19.54246215867807, 147.41933401478613).
Residents have reported that there is limited to no reception in and outside their homes and they have had to purchase Wi-Fi and boosters to make or receive phone calls and gain access to the internet.
Over 50% of respondents have claimed that poor mobile reception is impacting their business. The Burdekin region is prone to natural disasters including cyclones and flooding and therefore it is critical for strong connectivity across the Shire.
Co-contributions:
• Willing to discuss potential co-contributions (financial and/or in-kind) with program applicants
State or Territory:
QLD
Community Location:
Lockhart River - 4871
Description of community needs:
Poor phone reception in the region—additional access for residents needed.
State or Territory:
QLD
Community Location:
Pormpuraaw - 4892
Description of community needs:
Poor phone reception in the region—additional access for residents needed.
State or Territory:
QLD
Community Location:
Mapoon - 4874
Description of community needs:
Poor phone reception in the region—additional access for residents needed.
State or Territory:
QLD
Community Location:
Kowanyama - 4892
Description of community needs:
Poor phone reception in the region—additional access for residents needed.
State or Territory:
SA
Community Location:
Caltowie
Description of community needs:
Caltowie is situated between Gladstone and Jamestown in SA with a population of 122 people that swells to 1300 once a year for the Caltowie Chill Out'n'Fired Up Music Festival. It has very poor mobile coverage.
The ARTC Crystal Brook to Broken Hill line traverses Caltowie and six large freight trains traverse the centre of Caltowie daily, mobile coverage would be imperative in case of an accident. Caltowie hosts a popular RV camping site that attracts many campers, notably grey nomads who may need medical assistance. It is a well travelled thoroughfare between Laura/Gladstone and Jamestown.
Co-contributions:
• Willing to discuss potential co-contributions (financial and/or in-kind) with program applicants
State or Territory:
NSW
Community Location:
Splitters Creek
Description of community needs:
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.
Co-contributions:
• Willing to discuss potential co-contributions (financial and/or in-kind) with program applicants
State or Territory:
NSW
Community Location:
Hamilton Valley
Description of community needs:
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.
Co-contributions:
• Willing to discuss potential co-contributions (financial and/or in-kind) with program applicants
State or Territory:
QLD
Community Location:
Fishery Falls - 4871
Description of community needs:
Area is in need of a local cell tower as locals have very poor access to phone reception. A local tower would allow some of these issues to be resolved.
