In this day and age, individuals heavily rely on phone reception to connect with all parts of life, including loved ones, clients, and when we are in desperate need of help in case of an emergency.
But for Donnybrook residents across the new estates, phone reception is a real struggle, often having to drive out of estates for connection, or being forced to put up with it until phone and wireless connection is stable, or has arrived.
Olivine Community Group President Michelle Mitchell and Secretary Helen Franks, who are advocating for the installation of a telecommunications tower, have gathered local stories, giving a snapshot of what day-to-day life is like without stable reception.
One resident said the poor service was ‘such a worry’ after their neighbour had knocked on their door all distressed when their toddler shut and locked the garage door, with no phone reception to call her husband.
In situations of family violence, a resident said it took them seven days driving out of the state to call helpline numbers, meanwhile locals working from home often miss a day of work, and without stable connection, managing a business can be a headache.
The closest towers, under provider Telstra, are at Kalkallo, Mickleham, and Craigieburn, but Ms Mitchell and Ms Franks want to see a tower installed for Donnybrook as soon as possible.
“We would like a tower ASAP, no matter where it comes from or how it comes, but the other thing is, we also want to see policies change as well – we really want to see that this doesn’t happen to other newer estates around Victoria,” Ms Mitchell said.
“It seemed to be not thought of in this day and age – how important it is to have the power and for people to be connected, because no one has a landline anymore.”
“We’re doing this for our local estates and those being developed, but we’re also doing it very much because we know the difficulties and the challenges for people and we don’t want to see it go on,” Ms Franks said.
However, the end of the wait is nearing for residents, with Donnybrook listed as one of the new mobile tower projects under the State Government’s Connecting Victoria program.
In partnership with Telstra, the mobile project will be situated on Langley Park Drive, forecast for completion in June 2025.
A Telstra spokesperson said Telstra was also in the early stages of scoping out a second site, and can provide additional updates to the community once location is confirmed.
Plans are also on the horizon in Donnybrook’s Olivine Estate, under its developer Mirvac.
Since the Federal Government’s updated guidance was provided February this year regarding the delivery of telecommunications services in new developments, Mirvac has worked with providers and local council to facilitate the delivery of a telecommunications tower.
This month, Mirvac attended a meeting with City of Whittlesea Council and Amplitel – a leading provider of telecommunications infrastructure in Australia – to discuss Amplitel’s proposal for a telecommunications tower within Olivine.
A Mirvac spokesperson said Amplitel would shortly submit a planning application to Council, outlining their proposal for the construction, and delivery of a telecommunications tower.
“As the landowner, Mirvac has agreed to provide land for the tower to be located,” they said.
“Should approval be granted, Amplitel will update the community on the anticipated timing for construction of the tower. Amplitel has confirmed their commitment to delivering the tower as swiftly as possible to boost connectivity for the residents of Olivine.”
While Council does not play a part in delivering mobile phone infrastructure, a Council spokesperson said improving mobile and broadband coverage is one of the Council’s Advocacy Priorities.
“Council has recently commissioned an independent study to investigate mobile coverage and identify blackspots across the municipality, including Donnybrook,” they said.
“As a follow-up to the study, the City of Whittlesea has also engaged with community members living in newly developed estates to document their insights and experiences.
“Based on the study findings, the City of Whittlesea will continue to engage with both State and Federal Government, Connecting Victoria, and other stakeholders to advocate for improved mobile coverage in residential developments across our growth areas.”
Federal support and policies
Ms Mitchell and Ms Franks met with Member for McEwen Rob Mitchell earlier this month, who said he understood there was a lot of frustration in Donnybrook over the lack of connectivity and service.
“Donnybrook is undergoing huge growth, with forecasts predicting a 27 per cent annual increase, welcoming 12,000 new residents by 2026,” he said.
“That is why Donnybrook is my highest priority in the recent round of the Peri Urban Mobile Program (PUMP).”
PUMP is a grants program that provides funding to improve mobile connectivity in bushfire prone areas along the edges, complementing the Mobile Black Spot Program.
The Government is providing up to $20 million in the second round, with the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, and the Arts currently assessing the applications, which will consider a submission made by local Members of Parliament, and the priority areas identified.
Mr Mitchell said he was ‘determined to make up for lost time’.
“I am looking forward to the outcome being announced soon. We spent a decade under the Liberal Government who ignored the telecommunication needs of the communities of the outer north,” he said.
In terms of policies, the Federal Government introduced new rules earlier this year through the Telecommunications in New Development (TIND) policy, to place expectations on developers and mobile phone tower providers to actively consider the inclusion of mobile infrastructure in new housing development.
A spokesperson for the Minister for Communications Michelle Rowland said the Commonwealth was continuing to work with the State Government, and other states and territories on improving mobile connectivity in new developments and growth areas.
“This has resulted in agreement to a coherent, national approach for prioritising or accelerating planning and approvals for larger communications infrastructure, such as poles and towers, which was released on July 5, 2024,” they said.
“It’s important to note, the location and timing for the deployment of new telecommunications facilities is a commercial decision determined by the relevant carrier having identified areas which would provide the greatest coverage for use by the community.”
