Politicians join residents' push for Curraweela mobile tower after fire

Hume HP Angus Taylor, Member for Goulburn Wendy Tuckerman, Upper Lachlan Shire Council and the RFS are lobbying Telstra to install a tower, following the Curraweela fire.

READ MORE:

Taralga district residents vent anger over mobile coverage after Curraweela fire

Curraweela fire's fury and 'patchy' communication catch out landholders

The telco is now considering an application for funding under the federal government's Mobile Blackspot round seven program, but there are no guarantees of success.

The March 16 blaze burnt through 4437 hectares after starting at a Craigs Road property, some 20km north of Taralga. A house, 17 sheds and outbuildings, more than 100km of fencing and vital fodder supplies were also destroyed. Three houses were damaged, the RFS said.

The last landlines were only restored five weeks later.

Residents have since hit out at the 'poor' mobile communication in the area, saying it proved critical on the day. People didn't receive emergency alert and couldn't phone neighbours to advise them the fire was headed their way unless they were standing on higher ground.

ALSO READ: Keeping pool project paddling after construction firm hits choppy waters

Curraweela resident, Frank Startari has been lobbying Telstra, politicians and the council to act.

"People are just as angry now to the point where seven owners have nominated their properties for a tower site," he said.

"This knocks out Telstra's argument that it doesn't have a suitable site. Most of the properties have great elevation (950 metres or above), with power and optic cable running through that would beam a signal along 90 per cent of the (Taralga to Oberon) Road."

With more than 300 residents, 1574 vehicles daily, natural disasters and a large number of crashes in the area, Mr Startari says the case stacks up.

Telstra advised him that while it was "considering" a mobile blackspot funding application, there was no guarantee it would be included in a final submission.

Regional general manager, Chris Taylor, confirmed this but stressed Telstra was just one of a number of carriers potentially lodging funding applications.

"The community has been helping us by providing details of willing landowners in the area that could host a mobile base station site," he said.

"However, the decision on the location of any infrastructure will be made by our network engineers who are best skilled in understanding how to meet any coverage objective."

Site costs, co-investment from third parties and the tower's weighting against other communities, would influence the final choice on which ones to submit. He said the federal government would make the ultimate decision.

"I'm not confident of a breakthrough. I think it's all for appearances," Mr Startari said.

But he was heartened by support. Mrs Tuckerman has written to Telstra CEO Vicki Brady requesting the company apply for mobile blackspot funding. She pointed out that residents endangered themselves to alert neighbours about the fire and to help with evacuations.

Mr Taylor also met with Telstra before Easter and asked it to install a tower.

"I've been speaking with Telstra regularly and recently wrote expressing my support and advocacy for improved telecommunications for the Curraweela community," he said.

ALSO READ: Alex steps into CEO shoes for Upper Lachlan

I'll continue to engage with them on this issue, as I have done for many years. As I've said previously, we need this government to start funding critical projects in the regions and extend mobile coverage for areas under threat of bushfires like Curraweela."

In addition, Upper Lachlan Shire Council has also argued the case. CEO, Alex Waldron, said the council had already met with Telstra and would do so again in early June.

"It is about advocacy and...we'll continue to be the squeaky wheel," she said.

A total $160 million is available in the program's round seven. A total $110 million is allocated for "place-based solutions that deliver new or upgraded broadband services or upgraded mobile services in eligible locations across Australia." Curraweela is not listed among the 54 target locations for improved communication. Applications close on July 12.

Another Curraweela resident, Jan McGregor, said a tower was vital. If not for a neighbour alerting her to leave within 30 minutes, she said the family home would have gone. She only received an emergency alert on her mobile phone at 3pm when she reached higher ground.

Mrs McGregor said she evacuated about one hour after the fire started but could not phone husband, Grant, who had left in his ute to investigate the blaze. On his return, he crashed the vehicle into a fence due to poor visibility. After reaching the property on foot, he rode a quad bike to reach his wife, incurring first degree burns on his forehead and arms in the process.

"The fire moved so quickly...It was traumatic and we wouldn't want to go through that again," she said.

"It really highlights the importance of having mobile communication. It would really help a lot."

ALSO READ: Bookham farmer wants a wife from Wollongong and a guvvy job in the city

The RFS saved the couple's house but they lost a shed, infrastructure and pine trees on their 43ha property.

They also lost internet after the fire, which could not be fixed without a landline.

Residents have been campaigning for improved mobile communication for 16 years. Mr Startari said he wasn't going away.

"We are not going to let it go. We'll continue to push until we get a solution," he said.

Do you have something to say about this issue? Send a letter to the editor. Click here for the Goulburn Post

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can access our trusted content: