Footloose replied:

"Ray Maguire, an event producer based on the Gold Coast"....that says it all, really. Talk about spin !
Ray would like to see the Birdsville races as just another theme park by the sounds of it.
I'm not saying that remote communities shouldn't have access to adequate communications, far from it. I've made phone calls from there in the 80's where I had to talk to my wife in radio phonetics because of interference on their radio link.

This sort of absolute rubbish isn't going to help it happen.
How convenient for Ray to be in Birdsville at the same time as the Telstra team. Cynical ? You betcha !

Member - Oldplodder (QLD) replied:

Keep up the info.

I need to know these places without such mod cons as internet.
Because I want to go there!

Thats why we travel to those places, to get away from it.

But then this is a different crowd we are talking about here.
Like a couple of friends, they won't go anywhere unless it is 4 or 5 star accomadation. They think we are crazy travelling by car down dirt roads when you can fly.
I am not letting on, havn't said a thing about the magic of camping out in the west with just the two of us there. :o)

The times we have been to Birdsville is when the races are not on, too many people and too many cars on the road with the races.

Now it would be useful to the locals though.

Member - bushfix replied:

was just about to post this too.

my initial thoughts wrt to the maguire statements....

"what a crock" the first race meeting there was held in 1882 I believe. Surely the event and society has not gone so far as to need broadband to survive?! Is the event's name being used in collusion :) to get some govt funding?!

telco service is one thing but unfortunately, the greed and politics of urban society is being brought closer and closer to rural communities.

anyway, what I reckon, it made my skin crawl.

Utemad replied:

Can't say I've been to Birdsville but I have been to Tamworth and I work near Gympie. I think it is funny that someone from the Gold Coast thinks of those three towns as similar. I guess really to consider updating my comms equipment for my 2hr drive between Brisbane and Gympie.
I guess everything outside of the Gold Coast and maybe Brisbane is remote for him :-)

Camoco replied:

I may be missing the technical point here but....

The simple solution would be satellite would it not? They don't care where you are on the face of it do they?
Maybe it's not as simple as that, but so long as the locals that need it get it, the rest of us can just live without it for a while can't we.
I have never been to the races there while they have been on (by choice) but Birdsville is an iconic place to visit as it is. Part of the charm is the same for most of the outback, it's nice and different.

Emergencies and local inhabitants should take priority but really we should try and keep technology on holidays while we are.
Oops, it seems I may be preaching to the converted. Let's hope Mr Maguire reads these threads while he is spending so much precious time on the internet.

Cheers Cam

Member - Howard (ACT) replied:

Last couple of times I was in Birdsville I had no problem contacting the rest of the country from the phonebox on the corner.
from memory its even a push button job not a rotary dial so shouldnt be to hard for someone who can type on a computer.
There is also internet access available inthe town so I would hardly call Birdsville remote as far as communications go.
cheers
Howard

Shawsie (Bris) replied:

Birdsville already has broadband!

Dave & Shelley (NT) replied:

I go camping around and touring Australia to "get away from it all" not "go away from home to surf the net and do all the stuff I do at home". Next thing, some people will want a Macca's at Mitchell Falls, and a carlovers at Wilpena Pound. I am with Truckster, "what a load of crap" !!!!

Red One replied:

must have been egg in the phone

Seen it before