Crookwell district residents will receive improved mobile phone coverage from new mobile phone towers to be built at Golspie, Tarlo, Dalton and Trunkey Creek. 

 

Federal Member for Hume Angus Taylor said 18 new or upgraded base stations would be built in Hume.

 

“After we mapped the electorate to show government and telecommunications companies where the black spots were and where best to locate new towers, Hume has done particularly well,” Mr Taylor said.  

 

“There are four new towers to be built on greenfields sites in the broader Crookwell area and they will extend hand-held or antenna coverage to Laggan, Lost River, Wheeo, Grabben Gullen, Bannister, parts of Bigga (from a tower going up at Trunkey Creek), Fullerton and Limerick, Middle Arm, Mummel, Golspie, Breadalbane, Taralga, Tarlo, Greenwich Park, Big Hill and Roslyn.

 

Tarlo resident Robert Baxter said he had contacted Angus’ office in March this year about poor mobile reception and couldn’t believe a result had been achieved. “I was straight on the phone to thank Angus Taylor. I am just so grateful our problems are going to be fixed,” he said.

 

Mr Taylor said towers across Hume would be located for maximum signal spread and the benefit would be shared by many, because coverage would also extend along a number of roads and highway sections, including:

 

• Crookwell Road – between Goulburn and Crookwell

• Goulburn Road – between Binda and Trunkey Creek

• Range Road – between Bannister and Mummel

• Lachlan Valley Way – between Cowra and Boorowa

 

“In total, 74 of the 139 mobile black spots nominated in Hume will receive coverage via handheld phones or via an external antenna on the roof or car (or both). The total funding package to Hume is $10.41 million, including $2.76 million from the Federal Government under the Mobile Black Spot Programme.

 

“We will be dramatically improving mobile phone coverage across a vast area of the electorate and I am delighted to be able to share such good news,” Mr Taylor said.

 

He said in addition to the $100 million in Commonwealth funding for Round 1 of the national programme, a further $60 million had been announced for Round 2 of the Mobile Black Spot Programme, and Telstra had committed to build 200 new 4G mini base stations, to offer further opportunities to fix mobile black spots.