Tara Moriarty
Minister for Agriculture
Minister for Regional New South Wales
Minister for Western New South Wales
Steve Whan
Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education
Member for Monaro
MEDIA RELEASE
Burra and Urila communities to benefit from $6.1 million boost to rural connectivity
Monday, 24 March 2025
Member for Monaro, The Hon. Steve Whan MP has welcomed the news that Burra and Urila have been included in the NSW State and Australian Government's plan to improve regional and rural connectivity.
The NSW Government and Australian Government will provide up to $6.1 million to improve rural connectivity for premises across Wedding Shire, Burcher, Glenn Davis and Eumungerie in the central west and Burra, Urila and Talbingo in southern NSW.
Farmers and families in these areas are set to benefit from these major upgrades, with new and upgraded telecommunication towers to be built by the ned of 2025.
This project will see a major improvement in access tow wireless broadband for residents in Burra, Urila and surrounding areas. It will be a big boost to the community along with enabling local farmers to fully harness modern faming technology through improved coverage.
With technologies such as livestock monitoring, smart irrigation systems and wireless drone inspections for land surveying now being used alongside AgTech in tractors, headers and centre-pivot watering systems, primary producers and agricultural businesses are increasingly relying on the internet.
In addition to unlocking modern AgTech methods, improving digital connectivity will give locals and visitors alike improved access to emergency services during disasters and unexpected events.
In Burra and Urila, telecommunications provider YLess4U will deliver high speed fixed wireless broadband to premises providing local farmers and their families with fast and reliable internet.
For more information on the latest Regional Connectivity Program, visit: Regional Connectivity Program. For more information on co-funded regional NSW projects, visit Regional Digital Connectivity program | NSW Government.
Minister for Regional NSW and Agriculture Tara Moriarty said:
"Residents in rural and regional areas deserve dependable telecommunications services to support their everyday needs and that is what this program is providing.
"Improved digital services are important for both the productivity of the farm business and for the daily logistical challenges of living in a rural area.
"Farmers and their families shouldn't have to stand in the back yard waving their phones around to make a call.
"These upgrades will mean school children can easily contact their parents when the school bus drops them off at the farm gate."
Member for Monaro, The Hon. Steve Whan MP said:
"These upgrades will make a meaningful and significant difference to residents, local businesses and visitor to Urila and Burra.
"Once complete, these communities will have better access to faster, more reliable internet that will make a huge difference to productivity and help save time and money.
"With many rural residential blocks along with farms, Burra and Urila have a population that will be well served by these new towers. Importantly, both communities are in bush fire prone areas and any improvement to communications in an emergency will be welcome."
