Poor mobile coverage is hampering Blackwood CFA’s efforts to respond to fires as Moorabool council leads a bid for ‘‘blackspot’’ funding.
CFA volunteer Tom Pywell said the Blackwood brigade had pushed for a solution to the area’s patchy mobile coverage “20 times in the past 20 years”.
Residents hope the town, identified as a high-fire risk area, will receive funding under a $100 million federal government mobile coverage program.
“Our paging system only works one way, so we can’t report, change or upgrade emergencies without having coverage,” Mr Pywell said.
“It’s a high-level tourist town over weekends and summer. There’s a lot of bushwalkers and trailbikers heading to the state forest who have no coverage.”
Byres Road resident Noelle Shader said she often saw people parked outside her house trying to use their mobile phones.
“It’s a nightmare most of the time. We’re the outcasts out here,” Ms Shader said.
“I hardly use my mobile phone as there’s no point. To reach me up here, it’s always on the landline.”
Mayor Paul Tatchell toured Blackwood, Dales Creek, Greendale, Darley, Morrisons and Ballan last week, experiencing the poor coverage first-hand.
“There’s blackspots all over the place and it’s hampering business,’’ he said.
‘‘You can’t just drop what you’re doing and drive to the middle of nowhere to make a call.
“I can’t believe we just built this world-class fire refuge at Blackwood, and if you want to make a phone call out there you may as well use a toaster.”
Reverend Darrell Couch, who holds services at All Saints Anglican Church in Blackwood, said he could never get reception when he visited the area.
“It’s impossible,’’ he said. ‘‘If emergency services sent out a text message, no one would get it.”
Cr Tatchell said improved infrastructure would make Moorabool more attractive to mobile service providers and increase competition.
Submissions to the federal government mobile coverage program close this Friday.
» communications.gov.au/mobile_services/mobile_coverage_programme
