Telstra removes signage, but assures plans to resurrect the Canberra Tower are 'still ongoing'

A year after Telstra first revealed plans for its iconic tower atop Black Mountain, a work crew finally arrived at the site last week.

But only to remove the graffiti.

Earlier this month, a Canberra Notice Board Group member on Facebook publicly slammed the condition of Telstra Tower (now ‘Canberra Tower’, according to the company).

“Can anyone in charge please explain why Black Mountain Tower has been closed for more than a year and is not being maintained, rubbish and graffiti not being removed?” Josip Sladic wrote.

“For something that was once in our top three tourist attractions, it is kind of embarrassing to watch tourists step out of their cars briefly and express disgust at the sights and smells that confront them.”

The 157-metre-high telecommunications tower has been closed to the public since July 2021 for “upgrades to the building interior”.

In March last year, Telstra reiterated it had not been forgotten and revealed plans to resurrect it as a “premier destination”.

The viewing platforms would be fitted with digital technology to show Canberra as it appeared to the First Nations people, and the base of the tower – which has always housed a museum of sorts – would be complemented by “education programs on cultural history”.

Outside, there would also be “community engagement activities” such as market gardens, bush-tucker programs, art exhibitions and cultural demonstrations.

And yes, food and drink would be coming back with “culturally inspired dining facilities”.

“Our vision is for the Telstra Tower to be an iconic world-class venue that celebrates and embraces both the Ngunnawal culture and the role the Tower has played in the history of telecommunications in Australia,” Telstra general manager for NSW/ACT Chris Taylor said.

Consulting company Deloitte was contracted to liaise with local Indigenous traditional owners, tourism providers and government agencies.

In March 2023, Mr Taylor said this stage was complete and Telstra was “currently considering next steps on bringing this vision to life”.

However, over the past year, the only movement at the site appears to be from vandals.

Last week, Telstra organised a work crew to remove the “old and now severely damaged” signage from the site and said what remains is now “graffiti-free”.

The company is only responsible for maintenance of the tower itself, together with a patch of land about 1.5 metres around the outside of it. The rest, including the car park, falls under ACT Government jurisdiction.

A spokesperson for the government told Region ‘City Presentation’ crews remove litter from the car park twice a week, and empty the four rubbish bins in the area once a week.

“Other maintenance activity includes clearing vegetation and removing graffiti when required and monitoring the drinking station,” the spokesperson said.

“Major cleans in the area are scheduled three times a year that include high-pressure washing, brush cutting, pruning, dead shrub removal, and clearing vegetation to allow clear access of roads and carparks.”

As for the future of the Canberra Tower, Mr Taylor said “this is a big and expensive project with many aspects that we want to get right and discussions are still ongoing”.

There is no reopening date confirmed yet.

What would you like included in the ‘new’ Telstra Tower?