Pender Bay Telstra signal

From what I have read, I understand that Telstra signal is present.

Can those with firsthand experience tell me if that is basically across all the camp sites or is it specific spots to drive to such as an elevated position?

TIA
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Reply By: Member - Ian G (NSW) - Friday, May 26, 2023 at 21:24

Friday, May 26, 2023 at 21:24
No trouble with Starlink - you’ll have to talk to the Minister (ess) for Finance!!
Regards,
Ian & Anne
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Reply By: Member - bungarra (WA) - Friday, May 26, 2023 at 21:26

Friday, May 26, 2023 at 21:26
Ha ha you two... :)
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Reply By: Member - McLaren3030 - Saturday, May 27, 2023 at 08:50

Saturday, May 27, 2023 at 08:50
Hi Bungarra,

When I was there last year, the only Telstra signal was up near the “office” at the entrance.

Have you been to Pender Bay before? It is a nice camp ground, but it does have some limitations. The camp sites are well spaced apart, with some light scrub in between sites. There is water in a few places dotted around the campground, but not “piped” to every camp site. It is bore water, filtered but “untreated”. You need to be self contained and self sufficient, as there are very few toilets in the campground, and generators are not permitted. No fires permitted. It really is an Off Grid campground. Boat access is poor. If you are not set up to be fully Off Grid, you may find it difficult to stay there.

Just south of Pender Bay is Middle Lagoon. Another Off Grid campground, but with better facilities. Telstra signal near the office. The drawback is that the camp sites are much closer together. Shower, toilets and laundry, filtered and treated bore water to almost all camp sites.Camp fires are permitted. Better boat access to the water. There is also a small camp shop selling ice creams tea, coffee, cakes, snacks and “fast food”.

There are also another three Off Grid campgrounds operating in this area, Gnylmarung, and I can’t remember the name of the other one. Gnylmarung also has Telstra signal near the office., and has good boat launching facilities. Whale song was closed last year. Nearest fuel and “supermarket” is at Beagle Bay. All of these campgrounds are owned by local indigenous people, as is Beagle Bay.

The access road in to this area from the Cape Leveque Road is narrow, both sandy and rocky in places, a couple of washouts to be wary of, and basically a one lane track, with a couple of wider areas for passing., you need to “air down” as the sandy sections can be quite loose. Whilst there is an unwritten directive for outbound traffic in the morning allowing checkout vehicles to leave, and inbound traffic in the afternoon with check in after 2.00 pm, it is not strictly adhered to.





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Follow Up By: Briste - Saturday, May 27, 2023 at 08:59

Saturday, May 27, 2023 at 08:59
Can I just clarify what you mean by filtered as opposed to treated in relation to bore water?
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Follow Up By: Member - McLaren3030 - Saturday, May 27, 2023 at 09:07

Saturday, May 27, 2023 at 09:07
Hi Briste,

Not really sure what “treatment” they use at Middle Lagoon, I know it had a treatment facility but it was away from the campground in a separate area. It was possibly only to remove mineral salts, not really sure. The water did taste OK though. Better than taste at Pender Bay.

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Reply By: Member - bungarra (WA) - Saturday, May 27, 2023 at 10:14

Saturday, May 27, 2023 at 10:14
Hi Macca

Thanks, heaps, for your comprehensive reply. No, we have not been to Pender Bay before however friends have and speak highly of it.

We have site B1 booked for a week mid-June. (Picked as best we could from the limited info available).

We are fully self-contained and very used to being off grid and living for extended periods with no facilities. We have sufficient reserves of water for a couple of weeks when used sensibly. More than enough solar and battery storage.

Our vehicle and caravan is well set up for offroad travel. I take note on arriving midafternoon...appreciate that sensible advice.

We will also be staying at Middle Lagoon later in July so it will be an interesting comparison.

Not having phone coverage is no big deal for us but handy at times, hence my query. We have a 6m mast and high gain mimo antennae along with celfi if needed.

Photos are interesting, not quite like the promotional pics however we like the solitude and nature so I am sure it will suit us perfectly.

Last time we travelled the Dampier Peninsular it was a bone shaker so a sealed road will ne a change

Thanks again
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Follow Up By: Member - McLaren3030 - Sunday, May 28, 2023 at 07:57

Sunday, May 28, 2023 at 07:57
Hi Bungarra,

Depending on where your “B1” campsite is in relation to the office at Pender Bay, your 6.0 m mast and Cell Fi may give you the “boost” needed so that you will get signal at your campsite.

Same would apply at Middle Lagoon. When I was at Middle Lagoon last year, there were plenty of people with masts that were getting signal at their campsites. The biggest draw back is that there is only a narrow band width, so limits the number people that can be connected at the same time.

Both Pender Bay and Middle Lagoon are really fishing locations. They are not resorts, there is very little activities other than fishing in these campgrounds.

My Photos of Pender Bay were taken close to the entrance. There are more secluded sites further into the campground. Access to the beach is by a climbing track near the entrance down the side of the cliff, or by a road further in. Boat launching from the beach is not as good as Middle Lagoon or Gnylmarung. Some of the campsites on the bluff could be windy.

The premium Middle Lagoon camp sites up on the cliff can be very windy, great views, but susceptible to strong winds. Better off down on the flat below the bluff.

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Reply By: Member - Mark C - Saturday, May 27, 2023 at 22:01

Saturday, May 27, 2023 at 22:01
Just because you have a signal doesn't mean you will be able to use the internet
Last year in Karumba, I could see the tower 430 m away and had 5 bars but no data due to the numbers trying to use it, oversubscribed!
Now I have starlink those days are over, until starlink gets oversubscribed
AnswerID: 643684

Follow Up By: Briste - Saturday, May 27, 2023 at 22:28

Saturday, May 27, 2023 at 22:28
Possibly it was over-subscribed, but I've recently been in a couple of very small villages (pop 20-30) in NSW with a Telstra signal that was unusable for data. I spoke with a couple in the second location who said that it was the result of the signal coming in via multiple relays. They had Starlink. A signal, even a reasonably good one, does not guarantee usable data it would seem. Can anyone with more technical knowledge than me confirm or refute this?
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Follow Up By: Member - McLaren3030 - Sunday, May 28, 2023 at 08:01

Sunday, May 28, 2023 at 08:01
Totally agree Mark. I live in the south western suburbs of Melbourne. There is a Mobile phone tower 200 meters from our house, only get 1 or 2 bars of signal.

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Follow Up By: Member - Cuppa - Sunday, May 28, 2023 at 18:57

Sunday, May 28, 2023 at 18:57
I am confused by the reference to 'Pender Bay'. When we were last there (2018/19) there were several campgrounds along the shores of Pender Bay. We spent 7 months caretaking Goombaragin over a wet season. Our internet was via a hotspot signal on our phone - it worked but we had to be in a precise location on the property with the signal coming across the bay from Djarindjin. I imagine it would be similar for any of the places on Pender Bay. A wonderful area btw.

I wonder if the Pender Bay reference is to the camp ground named 'Pender Bay Escape'?
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Follow Up By: Member - bungarra (WA) - Sunday, May 28, 2023 at 21:51

Sunday, May 28, 2023 at 21:51
Cuppa
I was referring to Pender Bay Escape
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Follow Up By: Member - McLaren3030 - Monday, May 29, 2023 at 06:43

Monday, May 29, 2023 at 06:43
Hi Cuppa,

Yes, perhaps I should have been more specific. I was referring to Pender Bay Escape in my original response.

As I stated in my original response, there are several campgrounds in this area. There are three that I am aware or along the shores of Pender Bay itself. Starting from the southernmost point is Pender Bay Escape, then there are two more heading northwards, both of which I cannot remember the names.

Between Pender Bay and Middle Lagoon heading south is Whalesong, however it was closed last year. Then further south at the entrance to Beagle Bay is Gnylmarung.

All of these are accessed from the same road leading off the Cape Leveque road.

The Cape Leveque resort was also closed last year.

I hope this clarifies my original response.

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Reply By: RoyP - Saturday, Jun 03, 2023 at 18:42

Saturday, Jun 03, 2023 at 18:42
Had low mobile signal using celfi and a small Omni antenna from one of the campsite C8 last year. Was not super fast but ok for voice and some web browsing.
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Reply By: Stevemac - Sunday, Jun 04, 2023 at 18:24

Sunday, Jun 04, 2023 at 18:24
Managed an Optus signal at at Pender by the “facilities”

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