December 1, 2016
Dargo and sections of the Hyland Highway near Won Wron will receive better mobile phone coverage under round two of the Australian Government’s Mobile Black Spot Program, Member for Gippsland Darren Chester announced today.
The announcement means there are now 14 new mobile phone towers either constructed, or being planned, for the Gippsland region.
“The new base stations at Dargo and Macks Creek near Won Wron will improve mobile phone reception for residents and people travelling through these areas,” Mr Chester said.
“Dargo is a community that is prone to natural disasters, particularly bushfires, and currently experiences only patchy coverage. The new mobile phone tower will improve coverage in the township.
“The new tower at Macks Creek, near the Tarra Valley, will help make this section of Hyland Highway near Won Wron safer, and boost coverage locals and travelling public.
“The Hyland Highway is an important arterial road connecting Traralgon and Yarram. Steep terrain in the area results in unreliable coverage for motorists, which can cause communications problems in the event of a car accident.”
The towers will be funded under round two of the Coalition’s Mobile Black Spots Program, which will deliver new or upgraded coverage to 6500 homes and business across 17,500 square kilometres via 266 new or upgraded towers.
This includes 1900 kilometres of major transport routes.
Labor did not help build a single mobile phone tower nor invest a cent in mobile coverage in its six years of government.
Minister for Regional Communications Fiona Nash praised the program.
“In total, rounds one and two of the Coalition’s program will deliver new coverage to 32,000 homes and businesses across 86,000 square kilometres including 7600 of major transport routes via 765 new mobile phone towers,” Minister Nash said.
“I aim to help build the kinds of communities our children and grandchildren either want to stay in or come back to, and better mobile phone coverage is a big part of that.”
Including co-contributions from carriers and state governments, round 2 represents a total new investment of $213 million towards improved mobile coverage.
The locations for round two of the Mobile Black Spot Program were selected following an appeal to the public to nominate black spots.
These locations were entered into the national map which was provided to mobile network providers to assist them to develop funding applications. These were assessed against the program guidelines by the Department of Communications and the Minister accepted the Department’s recommendations without change.
“The new base stations are due to the efforts of the community in identifying black spot locations and advocating for them to be fixed,” Mr Chester said.
Locations currently on the rollout schedule include Austins Hill (Mirboo North, completed), Benambra (completed), Gormandale (completed), Bonang, Carrajung Lower, Tongio, Butchers Ridge, Buchan South, Sarsfield and Glen Valley. Mr Chester also made commitments at the 2016 federal election for towers on the Hyland Highway north of Won Wron and Lake Tyers Beach.
The locations of all of the 266 base stations can be found on the national map at www.nationalmap.gov.au.
More information about the Coalition Government’s Mobile Black Spot Program can be found at www.communications.gov.au/mbsp.
