By Taylah Eastwell
Residents of the Hills are joining forces in hopes of sending a message about lack of mobile coverage on the mountain.
A large-scale community survey is currently underway, with maps to be placed in local cafes and businesses allowing residents to record their experience with mobile reception on the hill.
The project came about after the federal budget papers, released on 11 May, included a $16.4 million dollar initiative that addresses gaps in mobile coverage in peri-urban fringe areas that are prone to bushfire, with many Dandenong Ranges residents struggling to find a signal.
Project organiser and Hills resident Peter Brennan said one of the major recommendations of the 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission was on improving communications across all aspects of bushfire preparation.
“The government determined that mobile technologies were the most effective and efficient way to deliver those communications, and yet more than a decade on, mobile reception across areas within the communities of the Dandenongs remain poor, unreliable, or in some cases, non-existent,” Mr Brennan said.
Mr Brennan said that while previous programs from the federal government have focused on mobile blackspot programs in rural and regional areas, funding had not been made available for works within the urban boundary.
As a result, areas on the urban fringe, including the Dandenongs, “were not eligible, despite being identified as areas of high bushfire risk”.
The recent budget announcement, which includes establishing a peri-urban mobile program (PUMP) to improve reception in areas like the Dandenongs, has re-instilled hope in the Hills community.
“The bushfire alerts are totally dependent on that device, people won’t be listening to the radio, they might be out in the garden and they need that advice. They need to know what’s coming and what to do and when to do it, they need up to date and accurate information,” Mr Brennan said.
“In the summer and as we go into a dry spell next season, it’s going to be increasingly critical. Look at the Dandenongs on a day when there is 25,000-30,000 visitors up here walking in the bush or driving up, they don’t realise until they get up here that they don’t have reception. It’s a common site to see tourists walking around villages looking for reception.
“That is a huge risk in a fire situation, there is a reason that improved communication was the number one recommendation to come out of the Bushfire Royal Commission,” Mr Brennan said.
The Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission found that communication systems on Black Saturday were hindered by poor coverage, lack of interoperability between emergency services agencies and insufficient investment in new technologies.
Casey MP Tony Smith recommended the Hills community collate some information on what the existing mobile coverage is and where black spots are across the mountain, so as to make the funding application process easier when the time comes to apply for the PUMP program.
“So effectively what I did was speak to locals. There is a large older population up here that aren’t just going to jump on Facebook or anything, so we thought we’d make it easy. I had a couple of maps printed and put them in places locals go. We’re not asking for any private information, it just asks for one of three labels to be placed on the map. One if there is no service, one if service is unstable and the other if it is weak. We assume the rest of the mountain has good service, and are doing this to learn where the holes are,” Mr Brennan said.
Data collection maps are available at Olinda Pharmacy and will also be at Mt Dandenong Hotel, Propserina Bakehouse and Bell Real Estate Olinda over coming weeks.
The communities of Tremont, Sherbrooke, Ferny Creek, Sassafras, Olinda, Mt Dandenong and Kalorama are encouraged to take part in the collection of information to improve mobile black spots on the mountain. Alternatively, residents can call Peter Brennan on 9751 1651 to speak with him or leave a message about your mobile coverage. No personal details are collected.
