Blackstone Heights community raise black spot issues

A proposal, by Telstra to install a mobile phone tower, was voted down at Meander Valley Council’s December meeting. 

Councillor Andrew Connor was the only person to vote for the tower. 

Despite more than 300 responses against the proposal being submitted to the council, residents of Bayview Drive are disappointed the development application was rejected. 

Resident Wayne Fenton said he had applied for black spot funding a number of times before unsuccessfully. 

He said the black spot affected nearly every one of the 85 houses in the street. 

“I think it’s even worse for those that are below the road line, and then with all the rock around us it makes it worse,” he said. 

Scott Morrison, a resident of about 18 years, said it was awful not having any reception. 

“I’ve had to do internet banking by driving up the road a little bit and then I’d have the police tapping on my window asking me what I’m doing, I’d say ‘I live just down there’ and they’d say ‘yeah, okay we know it is bad’,” he said. 

“They know it’s bad because when they come down here they often have no emergency coverage.”

Mr Morrison said he doubted if anyone in his street had been asked whether they were against the tower proposal. 

“I would think that everybody along this road would be for it because reception is lousy,” he said. 

Despite contacting Telstra for comment, it is unknown if the company will try to overturn the council’s decision.