Greendale and Dales Creek residents are on target for the national broadband rollout (NBN), which will bring better mobile phone coverage, but some say the proposed fixed-wireless tower is “third rate”.
Moorabool councillors last week approved a 40-metre mobile phone tower at Kangaroo Road and Struck Oil Track at Greendale, and the removal of native vegetation from the site.
Once built, the tower will allow more than 400 households to be connected to the NBN.
But two Greendale residents, who live several hundred metres from the tower site, say the fixed wireless system being proposed would not cope with demand.
At last week’s council meeting, Matthew Ayres also said the mobile phone tower would have adverse visual impacts on what he called a “pristine” site.
“Many residents moved into the bush because they believe it’s pristine,” he said. “The tower is 40 metres and the native vegetations there is 20 metres. I will be able to see it from my house.
“We’re not opposing the [overall] proposal, but in its current form we’re against it.”
Another resident, David Boylan, said no attempts had been made to disguise the tower, which, he said, did not fit in with its surrounds.
“I’m just appalled,” he said. “If you [approve] this, you’re going to write off a community.
“Bacchus Marsh gets a first-rate NBN – fibre to the node – Ballan gets second rate, and Greendale gets third rate.”
But Matt Evans, representing the tower applicants, said all efforts had been made to disguise the tower, including building a monopole tower, and having it well set back from the road and homes.
He argued the tower was a “long-term” solution to poor mobile phone coverage and would become more relevant to residents as more people moved in.
“The density is suited for fixed wireless, using the best available technology,” Mr Evans said.
Voting to approve the tower, Cr Pat Toohey said the new technology could “save and improve lives” in a high-risk bushfire area. His view was backed by fellow councillors, except for Cr Jarrod Bingham, who was absent, and Cr Paul Tatchell, who abstained from voting.
