Improved mobile coverage at Piallaway Hall is transforming the way fundraising initiatives and events are delivered in the local community.

It is also providing greater safety in the event of an emergency and ability for the Piallaway community to host video calls and online meetings.

Piallaway is located on the far eastern boundary of the Gunnedah shire, bordered by the Liverpool Plains shire.

The farming district features a historic community hall, small war memorial and enthusiastic progress association. But what the area lacked was a reliable mobile connection – until now.

Piallaway Progress Association recently received a $5000 Qantas Regional Grant to install a Cel-Fi cellular mobile signal repeater to improve mobile coverage at the hall.

Local resident Steve Barr submitted the funding application on behalf of the association.

Until the signal booster was installed, he said gaining reliable mobile coverage at the venue had proved problematic.

“The hall and recreation grounds have always had little to no mobile phone reception, made worse by the 3G network being turned off recently,” Mr Barr said.

“This has always made it challenging to make calls.”

In recent years, the association has worked hard to host more events at Piallaway such as a working dog trial, an Australia Day Community Breakfast, the Gunnedah Conservatorium Songbirds Concert and Gunnedah Shire Council ordinary meetings.

ABOVE: Piallaway Community Hall hosted Gunnedah Conservatorium’s Songbirds Concert featuring Goldheist. Pictured are Matt Cohen, Brad Dolahenty, Katrina Dolahenty, Rebecca Ryan, Nolene Stanger, Hugh Smith, Steve Barr, and Amy Perfrement. Also pictured are musicians Anna Weatherup, Amy Vee and Hester Fraser (centre).

“It’s been great for the Piallaway and surrounding community to come together at our hall and recreation ground for these events,” Mr Barr said.

Last month the hall and progress association hosted Gunnedah Shire Council’s September ordinary meeting. Many council representatives on their arrival were pleasantly surprised to learn the Piallaway venue now had full mobile coverage.

Mr Barr said the improved communications will allow instant customer transactions at the progress association’s upcoming fundraising activities.

“With the advancements in mobile electronic payment systems such as square, up until now, we simply couldn’t use them due to no or poor mobile connectivity,” he said.

“So we had to rely on pre-payment for ticket sales or sale of food and beverages with cash.

“This limited the amount of funds we could raise.”

Mr Barr said the funding for the Cel-Fi unit will also improve safety in the event of an emergency at the hall and recreations grounds – allowing for easier calls to ambulance, fire and police.

It will also reduce travel time for training of local Rural Fire Service (RFS) personnel.

“Our RFS also conduct regular training at the grounds, so connectivity now allows for online training to be done at the hall,” Mr Barr said.