New suburbs prepare for NBN

The federal government has named 40 new areas and around 165,800 homes to get the National Broadband Network in the next year.

Communications minister Stephen Conroy today announced construction would begin in areas across all of Australia. He said NBN Co was on track to meet its target of work begun on 758,000 premises by the end of the year.

According to the minister, 24,000 Australians are currently connected to the NBN. Overall, across Australia the number of premises where work has started is at least 121,500. NBN Co estimates it takes an average of 12 months from the time work starts at each NBN site until services are available.

The fibre-optic network is expected to take 10 years to build and cost $37 billion. Under the plan, 93 percent of the population will get access to high-speed cable broadband, with the rest made up by fixed wireless and satellite. 

See below for the full list of new construction areas.

New South Wales: Blacktown (Seven Hills); Coffs Harbour (Sapphire Beach, Korora); Dapto (Dapto, Brownsville, Koonawarra, Kanahooka); Gosford (North Gosford, Gosford, West  Gosford, Narara); Homebush (Homebush West); Mudgee (Mudgee); Penrith (South Penrith, Jamisontown); Richmond (Londonderry Hobartville, Richmond, Richmond  Lowlands, Agnes Banks); Taree (Taree, Taree Tinonee); Wollongong (Wollongong).

Queensland: Ascot (Hamilton, Hendra, Ascot, Eagle Farm, Pinkenba); Cairns (Cairns North, Cairns City); Goodna (Redbank Plains); Kallangur and Petrie (Kurwongbah, Petrie, Kallangur); Mackay (South Mackay, East Mackay); Nudgee (Northgate, Virginia,  Banyo, Nundah); Townsville (Railway Estate, Hermit Park); Toowoomba (Redwood, Withcott, East Toowoomba, Rangeville).

Victoria: Ballarat (Invermay, Invermay Park, Ballarat North); Creswick (Creswick); Carlton (Carlton, Melbourne); Melton (Melton, Melton West, Kurunjang, Melton South; South Morang (Mill Park); Tullamarine (Essendon Fields, Airport West, Melbourne Airport, Tullamarine, Keilor Park).

Western Australia: Applecross (Brentwood, Mount Pleasant, Booragoon); Geraldton (Mount Tarcoola, Tarcoola Beach, West End, Mahomets Flats); Mandurah (Greenfields, Coodanup,  Furnissdale, Barragup); Meadow Springs (San Remo, Madora Bay, Singleton, Golden Bay); South Perth (Kensington, South Perth, Como); Victoria Park (Kewdale, Lathlain, Carlisle); Yunderup (South Yunderup, North Yunderup).

South Australia: Prospect (Kilburn, Prospect, Blair Athol, Collinswood, Enfield, Nailsworth, Sefton Park,  Broadview); Port Augusta (Wami Kata, Port Augusta, Stirling North, Port Augusta West); Port Elliot (Victor Harbor); Yankalilla (Normanville, Yankalilla, Carrickalinga).

Tasmania: Bellerive (Rose Bay, Lindisfarne, Bellerive Mornington, Mount Rumney, Warrane, Lindisfarne); Kingston (Kingston, Bonnet Hill); Launceston (Trevallyn, Riverside).

Northern Territory: Casuarina (Malak, Marrara, Moil, Anula); Darwin (Larrakeyah, Darwin City, Fannie Bay, Parap, The Gardens, East Point).