Community Location:
The locality of Booubyjan in western Gympie Regional Council area. Rural area with major Burnett Highway.
Description of community needs:
Placement of a new mobile tower in locality of Booubyjan in the western Gympie Regional Council area. Key reasons:
Flash flood prone stretch of Burnett Highway with multiple trap points.
Loss of life and serious endangerment of life during ex-tropical Cyclone Seth in January 2022.
No Emergency Services Radio coverage in the area.
High accident and fatigue zone.
Important industrial highway with significant traffic.
Landline coverage not always working.
Farm and rural safety would benefit from mobile coverage in this area.
Ongoing, long-term issue, supported by local residents and groups in the Booubyjan area.
State or Territory:
VIC
Community Location:
Kancoona/Happy Valley
Description of community needs:
Happy Valley runs between the Kiewa Valley and the Ovens Valley and is the main route from Falls Creek to Melbourne. There is a Telstra Blackspot on the north side of the ridge from near the Kiewa Valley Highway (GPS-36.5555, 147.0214) to the top of the ridge (GPS -36.5577, 146.9691). The Optus Blackspot exists on for most of the Happy Valley Road (GPS -36.5555, 147.0214 to GPS -36.5851, 146.915).
Lack of mobile phone coverage impacts economic activity, amenity for travelers and safety in a high bushfire risk area.
State or Territory:
VIC
Community Location:
Bright Victoria
Description of community needs:
The proposed Mystic Mobile tower would service the existing Telstra blackspot in Wandiligong Valley which experiences high number of tourists in a high bushfire risk area as well as residents. Additionally this area has large number of visitors engaged in high risk activities including mountain biking and paragliding. Rescues in this area are hampered by lack of communications.
The new Mystic Tower would also increase mobile capacity which regularly fails during peak tourist season which sees visitor numbers increase tenfold in peak times. This tower would also provide much needed redundancy for the critical Apex Hill tower.
State or Territory:
QLD
Community Location:
Bedourie
Description of community needs:
To install small mobile phone infrastructure that will support travellers in key rest stops during any disaster or emergency even with Telstra Small Cell Towers at:
Deon's Lookout Rest Area 80A chg 89.3 (high elevation would cover a large area)
VJ Lookout Rest Area 93D chg 85.4 (As above)
Lake Machattie intersection 81A Chg 51.8 (there is no rest area in this location so might need to install – this site would be good during flood events when Cuttaburra is up – nearby rest area don’t need more toilets here but too far away for the Small Cell to reach the turnoff.
Monkira rest area 93C chg245.7 (good during floods in the Diamantina)
Co-contributions:
• Willing to discuss potential co-contributions (financial and/or in-kind) with program applicants
State or Territory:
ACT
Community Location:
Cotter and Casuarina Sands; Tidbinbilla National Park/Reserve District; Tharwa and Naas Road
Description of community needs:
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.
State or Territory:
SA
Community Location:
Beetaloo Valley
Description of community needs:
Beetaloo Valley, Southern Flinders has a permanent population of 75 with a median age of 56. There is virtually no mobile coverage. A mixture of lifestyle and farming properties, the Valley supports diverse native vegetation including environmentally significant grassy woodlands. It abuts a National Park and has many city-based visitors expecting mobile phone coverage.
Due to the hot and dry climate and heavily wooded undulating terrain, bushfire risk is great. The 2014 Bangor fire threatened many properties and burned vast amount of land. All roads are unsealed and difficult to navigate. Without early warning, evacuation would be dangerous.
Co-contributions:
• Willing to discuss potential co-contributions (financial and/or in-kind) with program applicants
State or Territory:
WA
Community Location:
Crossman
Description of community needs:
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.
Co-contributions:
• Willing to discuss potential co-contributions (financial and/or in-kind) with program applicants
State or Territory:
NSW
Community Location:
Yantabulla NSW (-29.3283, 145.0018)
Description of community needs:
There is currently no mobile service in the village of Yantabulla. Given the remoteness of the village and it being the location of the Yantabulla Rural Fire Service shed, the need for adequate communications is a necessity.
Co-contributions:
• Willing to discuss potential co-contributions (financial and/or in-kind) with program applicants
State or Territory:
NSW
Community Location:
Fords Bridge NSW (-29.7526, 145.4252)
Description of community needs:
There is currently no mobile service in the village of Fords Bridge. Given the remoteness of the village and it being the location of the Fords Bridge Rural Fire Service shed, the need for adequate communications is a necessity.
Co-contributions:
• Willing to discuss potential co-contributions (financial and/or in-kind) with program applicants
State or Territory:
QLD
Community Location:
Byfield
Description of community needs:
Byfield, 41 kilometres from Yeppoon, is impacted by bushfires and cyclones. Cyclone Marcia caused widespread destruction and greatly impacted telecommunication services for a number of weeks.
The Byfield area is located in dense rainforest and residents experience periods of limited mobile phone coverage, which can be exacerbated by military operations at nearby Shoalwater Bay Training Area.
Telstra is supportive of upgrades.
Co-contributions:
• Willing to discuss potential co-contributions (financial and/or in-kind) with program applicants
