Forrest Beach residents welcome overdue Telstra telecommunications upgrade

Forrest Beach locals are cautiously optimistic that telecommunication issues that have plagued the town “for years” have finally been resolved.

Hinchinbrook MP Nick Dametto, centre front, with residents of Forrest Beach. On behalf of the community, the KAP deputy leader thanked Telstra, Ergon, contractors and technicians who built the macro tower that has improved telecommunications issues in the North Queensland town. Picture: Cameron Bates

Forrest Beach residents are cautiously optimistic that telecommunication concerns that have plagued the North Queensland town “for years” have finally been resolved.

Telstra, Australia’s largest telecommunications provider by market share, confirmed that its macro tower in the idyllic Hinchinbrook town had been activated on Tuesday evening.

The milestone comes almost three years to the day after Katter’s Australian Party MP Bob Katter and party deputy leader Nick Dametto first met with the Forrest Beach community to push for a solution to the “area’s severe communication blackspots”.

Mr Katter eventually secured $785,350 in federal funding for the tower in May 2022 in what was hailed at the time as a “significant step forward for the region”.

Businesswoman Lisa Scobie, owner of Forrest Beach Takeaways, said she noticed an immediate impact on Tuesday.

She said she now had two to four bars of 5G reception at her home, well up from one bar of 4G previously.

“It’s definitely an improvement and at Allamanda Avenue its two bars of 5G down there and before there was no service.”

Hinchinbrook MP Nick Dametto in front of the Telstra "macro tower" built at the Forrest Beach water tower. Picture: Cameron Bates

Bruno Manassero, who lives in Hibiscus Street, said he had not noticed any change other than one bar of 4G now registering as a single bar of 5G.

“This is inside the house, we go outside the house and it can go up to two bars but that’s how it was before,” he said.

“Now whether this stays consistent, whereas before it used to drop on or off, only time will tell.”

Barry Grant of the Forrest Beach Progress Association said he previously had no reception at all, but was now receiving up to three bars.

“It’s a big improvement for me.”

Telstra upgrades to the Forrest Beach water tower were completed on Tuesday with fine-tuning continuing Wednesday. Picture: Cameron Bates

Mr Dametto, the Hinchinbrook MP, said Telstra were still undertaking “fine-tuning” on Wednesday but it was imperative that “as many residents in this area as possible are benefitting from this increased connectivity”.

“Forrest Beach is home to many retirees and young families, and being 20 minutes from the Ingham Hospital, reliable telecommunications is a critical safety need,” he said.

“This new tower will finally allow residents to connect with loved ones, access essential online services, and enjoy faster speeds on their devices—a standard that every telecommunications customer deserves.”

Mr Dametto said that he would continue to work with the Federal Member for Kennedy for improved connectivity across Hinchinbrook and North Queensland.

Mr Katter said it had been a “long, tough slog to get here.”

“It wouldn’t have happened without Nick Dametto and this wonderful community – tirelessly fighting for an essential service,” he said.

“I admire your tenacity and celebrate alongside you today.”

Telstra Regional General Manager Rachel Cliffe said the new mobile base station was delivering 4G and 5G coverage to Forrest Beach as part of the Federal Government’s Regional Connectivity Program.

“Co-investment programs like this, where carriers like Telstra and the government work together to share the cost in bringing new coverage in regional and rural locations, are really important in helping deliver great connectivity outcomes,” she said.

“We continually investigate new opportunities to improve and further expand our mobile coverage and we have a number projects in the pipeline for the Hinchinbrook region, including new sites at places likes Upper Stone and Wallman Falls.”

Originally published as Forrest Beach residents welcome overdue Telstra telecommunications upgrade