Round 2: Mobile Black Spot Program

Member for O’Connor Rick Wilson MP has announced 30 new or upgraded mobile phone towers will be built in the electorate under Round 2 of the Mobile Black Spot Programme.

The new towers will complement the 56 base stations allocated to O’Connor under Round 1 of the programme, which are currently being built across the electorate.

The total investment in WA under Round 2 will be $72.8 million, with the Federal Government’s contribution of $21.8 million leveraging matching funding from the WA Government and nearly $30 million from network providers Telstra and Optus.

Mr Wilson, who recently tabled a petition in Parliament calling for Triple Zero access in all parts of remote Australia on behalf of Kojonup’s Katharine Marsh, said the Federal Government was committed to eliminating black spots throughout rural and remote Australia.

“Communications is one of the most important issues for many people in O’Connor, given the sporadic nature of mobile coverage throughout the electorate,” he said.

“I have to drive to the highest point at my family’s farm near Katanning to get a signal, so I certainly sympathise with my constituents who live in areas where reception is patchy at best.

“Stories of people like Katharine Marsh, whose partner tragically died after a vehicle accident in an area with no mobile access, remind us all how vital it is to continually improve our communications network.

“86 towers across the first two rounds is a great result but there’s more work to be done, so I’ll be working to secure more base stations under Round 3 of the Mobile Black Spot Programme.”

The locations for round 2 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.

Locations for Round 2 Towers in O’Connor by region:

Great Southern:

Albany-Lake Grace Road

Cheviot Hills Road

Martinup Road

Mount Lindesay Road

Needilup

Shamrock Road

Tone Road

West Tambellup

Yeriminup Road

 

Goldfields-Esperance  

Alexander Bay campground

Broad Arrow

Cape Le Grand (Lucky Bay campground)

Daniell Siding

Harms Lake

Ilkurlka Roadhouse

Mount Ney

Ora Banda

South Cascade

Tjirrkarli

Tjuntjuntjara

 

South West

Greater Beedelup National Park

Maranup

Warren National Park

Winnejup

 

Wheatbelt

Aldersyde

Bulyee

Holt Rock

Piesseville

Tincurrin

Wogerlin Hill