Despite years of planning, secured funding, and development approval, the long-promised Berambing mobile tower remains unbuilt with growing concern that a mix of Council delays, shifting positions from Telstra, and unclear communication from federal representatives has left the community without critical infrastructure.
The issue has now escalated beyond a simple project delay, raising serious questions about accountability across all levels of government and delivery partners.
A Project Years in the Making
The Berambing tower was part of the Federal Government’s Black Summer Bushfire Recovery program designed specifically to address communications failures exposed during the 2019–2020 fires.
By April 2025, the project had achieved what many in the community had long fought for:
- Development approval was granted
- Funding had been secured
- The project was described by industry representatives as “shovel ready”
According to local stakeholders, construction could have been completed in as little as eight weeks.
Yet just a couple of weeks earlier, Hawkesbury Council had quietly handed the money back.
Council Under Scrutiny
Correspondence seen by the Gazette raises a critical question: Why did Hawkesbury City Council fail to seek an extension on funding for a project that was about to be approved?
Federal MP Susan Templeman has confirmed Council advised her the funding expired on 31 March 2025 and that the project could not be completed within the required timeframe.
However, community representatives argue this explanation avoids the central issue that delays within the Council planning and approval process ultimately cost the region a fully funded, ready-to-build project that would have delivered an emergency service to the area.
As one local advocate put it:
“How does a relatively simple mobile tower, something essential for public safety, get caught in years of delay, only to fall over at the final hurdle?”
Telstra Walks Away - But Why?
The situation has been further complicated by Telstra’s recent decision to withdraw support for the Berambing tower.
The telecommunications provider now argues the newly constructed Mt Tomah tower provides “adequate coverage” for the area.
But that claim is strongly disputed.
Local residents report 'No Meaningful Improvement in Coverage', and formal complaints have already been lodged with the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC).
Community testing and on-the-ground experience suggest the Mt Tomah tower has not resolved the blackspots the Berambing tower was specifically intended to address.
Conflicting Claims Over “Improved Coverage”
Ms Templeman has stated that Telstra undertook optimisation work in January 2026 which “appears to have addressed some of the problems.”
However, community leaders say there is no clear evidence of any post-survey improvement, and Telstra’s own correspondence indicates optimisation occurred during initial commissioning not in response to identified coverage gaps.
The lack of clarity raises further concerns about transparency and whether decision-makers are relying on real-world data or theoretical modelling.
Funding Back on the Table But Uncertain
There is now renewed hope, with a special funding round opened in late 2025 and Council reapplying for support.
However, the project now hinges on one key factor: Telstra’s willingness to proceed. Without that commitment, even renewed funding may not deliver the outcome residents were promised.
"This is free public infrastructure being handed over to one private telco - Telstra. If they nolonger want the tower then the other companies like Optus should be given the option of this free tower on which they can place their signal reciever and tranmission dishes." said another local resident.
ANALYSIS
A System Failure, Not Just a Delay
What is unfolding is not just a missed infrastructure project it is a case study in how:
- Delays in local government processes
- Gaps in accountability
- Changing positions from delivery partners
can combine to undermine critical regional infrastructure. For a community still vulnerable to bushfires and natural disasters, the consequences are not abstract. They are practical and potentially life-threatening.
This malalignment between Local, State and Federal government initatives to address disaster adaption needs to be urgently addressed.
The Bigger Question
These communication towers were never just about convenience. It was about safety, resilience, and ensuring that no community is left without communication in an emergency. And they are not the only community in Hawkesbury to suffer this fate, another tower at Mc Donald Valley also had funding returned.
As pressure mounts on Council, Telstra and federal representatives, residents are asking a simple question:
If a project like this can fall through after years of work, what confidence can the community have that essential infrastructure will be delivered when it matters most?
Council have until 30 March to apply to get the funding restored to this project.
