Residents rally to stop Telstra

Woodwark residents ready to fight as they oppose the proposed development of a Telstra mobile telecommunications tower in their backyards.

NOT HAPPY: John Emmett points to the proposed location of the Telstra mobile base station, as his wife Tracy Emmett points to their Mila Drive property 300m from the site. Picture: Tamera Francis

WOODWARK residents are gearing up to stop the development of a Telstra mobile telecommunications network base station near their properties.

Telstra, represented by Silverstream in conjunction with the Whitsunday Regional Council, hosted a community information session on Thursday evening in regards to the 3G/4G 25 metre tower proposed to be erected at Mila Dr.

Residents opposed to the development attended the session where a Telstra information booklet was made available.

According to the information booklet, the tower's location was considered appropriate due to the capability of achieving the coverage objectives set out by the Federal Government's mobile black spot program while allowing separation from surrounding residential premises.

It also stated that existing vegetation would partially screen the facility from surrounding area.

Woodwark had been highlighted as a priority location for new infrastructure due to the limited services currently available and Telstra expressed their commitment to installing the proposed facility "as soon as practical”.

The booklet stated that "Telstra understands that some locations where we need to place our facilities are more sensitive than others”.

Gilles Guaydier is one of the residents opposed to the tower.

His property will be 100 metres from the proposed site and he's not happy; "I found out about this when I walked down the driveway and saw a sign on the lawn about 3 weeks ago” he said.

"My wife and I have done a petition. Out of 35 homes, we have 33 signatures that request no tower.

"We've stepped it up to a mandate and we are getting the same numbers to mandate the council, and inform them we don't want or need a tower.

"Hopefully it doesn't fall on dead ears.”

Gilles Guaydier points to his Mila Drive property in relation to the proposed Telstra mobile base station. Picture: Tamera Francis

Mr Guaydier said he attended the informations session to gain reassurance his concerns were being heard but said "they only believe their own studies. It doesn't matter what you bring to the table”.

For Mr Guaydier, living near the tower is not an option and he said if the project went ahead, he'd be forced to sell.

Telstra reassured the community that they'd addressed the issue of the electromagnetic radiation (EMR) the facility would emit and assured residents they'd sought expert advice from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPNSA) for overall assessments of health and safety impacts.

Telstra said WHO and ARPANSA standards would be met by "limiting the network signal to a level low enough to protect all people, in all environments, 24 hours a day”.

"EMR is on the WHO website as a carcinogenic and they want to put an that in my backyard,” Mr Guaydier said.

"I've lived in the area for 20 years now and have perfect mobile reception at my house.

"We're talking about mobile phones, so people can text and drive and crash basically, it's not needed.

"Everybody that moved out there knew there was no reception, there isn't even a power line out there, not even a wire

"It just doesn't belong there, it's an eyesore.

Gilles Guaydier points to the proposed location of the Telstra mobile base station - 100 metres from the his Mila drive property's fence line. Picture: Tamera Francis

Fellow Woodwark resident Jenny Greig has opposed the project by signing the petition as her property is 500 metres from the proposed site.

She acknowledged the lack of phone reception in the area, but isn't convinced all avenues for the project had been explored.

"It'll certainly have an affect on our land value so I'm not very impressed with that, when apparently there are other sites they could use,” she said.

Fellow Mila Dr resident John Emmett's property is 300 metres from the site and said he had three main concerns with the project - the EMR, property devaluation and the eyesore it would create.

"We moved here 18 months ago to enjoy the environment and were well aware we had no mobile coverage as all of the residents are,” he said.

"We don't want it ruined by a tower sticking up virtually in our backyard.

"A 2017 study in Brisbane on devaluation of properties found the closer you are to a mobile phone tower, the more your property decreases.

His wife, Tracy Emmett said she found out about the project six weeks ago when a sign was posted at the end of their street.

The couple paid a visit to council where they viewed the application and noticed "it would virtually back onto the house” which prompted them to lodge an objection to the project.

However, an incorrect email address had been printed on the letters and signs residents had received.

"People on Pringle Drive when approached to sign the petition knew nothing about it,” she said.

"

"What can we do? We can't sell our property as won't get what we paid for it and we're really concerned about the health issues.

"We have a solicitor involved now and the petition has been changed to mandate.

"We spoke to councillors Ron Petterson and Peter Ramage and we're just going to keep the pressure on until we get a result.

"Hopefully it's stopped before construction, but a Telstra town planner informed us they're already clearing the access road.”

Telstra representatives at the information sessions initially didn't wish to comment to the media and referred enquiries to WRC however since then Telstra area general manager Rachel Cliffe released a statement.

"Woodwark is a known mobile black spot and was selected for funding under the Federal Government's Mobile Black Spot Program (MBSP),” she said.

"Our customers at Woodwark are relying on mobile connectivity more than ever.

"Once complete, the planned mobile base station will deliver 3G and 4G mobile coverage to a large part of Woodwark for the first time, allowing residents and visitors to call loved ones and clients as well as access fast mobile internet.

"We work diligently to find appropriate sites that best meets the objectives of providing customers with high quality mobile coverage whilst taking into account the environmental and visual impacts of the facility.　

"Telstra takes community feedback seriously and we hosted a number of residents at an information session, where our experts were on hand to answer any questions they had.”

Information on the electromagnetic fields of electromagnetic radiation the facility will emit and justifications as to how it meets World Health Organisation standards, that was on display for concerned residents at the community information session at the Reef Gateway on the afternoon of Thursday May 17. Picture: Tamera Francis

A council spokesperson said Telstra's acting consultant, Silverstream, hosted the information session for the community to express their concerns in relation to the project.

"This gave the community an opportunity to have expert comment and feedback on the many issues they have raised,” the spokesperson said.

Submissions from the public will now be sent to the applicant.

"It's expected they will consider these submissions and submit a development application which will come before a full council meeting for a decision in the near future.”