Telecommunications Tower to Come Online

Council has approved a development application for a telecommunications tower at Tamborine Mountain that is expected to improve network connectivity for Scenic Rim residents and visitors.

The Optus tower was approved for a site on Macdonnell Road, with conditions including that the tower and associated equipment be painted pale eucalypt green or an equivalent shade to minimise the visual impact.

Mayor Greg Christensen, who was among the five councillors in favour of the development application, said there was a need for improved telecommunications in the Scenic Rim for residents - as well as visitors travelling through the area - who were unable to fully access the digital network or suffered from phone calls dropping out.

"This is about providing capable coverage and Optus ensuring reliability of service for their customers moving through the area," he said.

"Optus has provided the same evidence of need as other applicants for similar facilities in the past."

Division 5 Councillor Rick Stanfield said the communications tower would not be inconsistent with Scenic Rim's town planning moving forward.

"We are very much reliant on telecommunications these days, in every aspect of our lives, and will be more so into the future," he said.

"While sometimes we have to deliberate about consistent or inconsistent use, this is about the future vision for the long-term development of this sort of infrastructure for our community.

"It is incumbent on us to look at the future instead of looking at a town plan which was written when these sorts of technologies weren't available."

However Planning and Development Committee Chair and Division 1 Councillor Nigel Waistell voted against the proposal, along with Division 2 Councillor Nadia O'Carroll, saying it had only two supporters but had attracted 142 objections and that the applicant had not provided a needs analysis.