Bendigo TV Transmission Tower Affected by Bushfires – What Viewers Need to Know
Recent bushfires across central Victoria have impacted critical broadcast infrastructure, including the Mount Alexander TV transmission tower, which services Bendigo and surrounding regions. As a result, many homes are currently experiencing loss of free-to-air television and radio services or significant signal disruption.
At Jim’s Antennas, we’re receiving a high number of calls from residents across the region who have suddenly lost TV reception. Here’s what’s happening, who’s affected, and what options may be available.
What’s Happened?
The Mount Alexander transmission site, located near Harcourt, has been affected by bushfire activity in the area.
Damage to infrastructure and supporting services has resulted in the site being taken off-air, meaning local terrestrial free-to-air TV signals are currently unavailable across much of its coverage zone.
At this stage, restoration timeframes are unknown, and services may remain disrupted while assessments and repairs are carried out.
Areas Likely to Be Affected
The Mount Alexander tower services a large part of central Victoria. Areas commonly affected by this outage include:
- Bendigo and Greater Bendigo
- Harcourt and Harcourt North
- Castlemaine
- Kangaroo Flat
- Epsom
- Strathfieldsaye
- Maiden Gully
- Golden Square
- Flora Hill
- White Hills
- California Gully
- Sutton Grange
- Elphinstone
- Metcalfe
- Sedgwick
- Surrounding rural communities throughout the Mount Alexander and Macedon Ranges fringe areas
If you and your neighbours have lost reception at the same time, it is very likely related to the transmission outage rather than a fault with your TV.
Temporary Options While the Bendigo Transmitter is Offline
Although the primary Bendigo transmitter is currently unavailable, there are still options worth exploring depending on your location.
Trying Alternative Transmission Towers
In some parts of the region, it may be possible to receive signals from other broadcast towers, particularly:
- Ballarat transmission towers
With the right antenna type, height and alignment, some homes may be able to pick up usable signal from Ballarat or other surrounding regional transmission sites.
Signal availability depends on:
- Distance to the tower
- Terrain and obstructions
- Antenna type and condition
- Roof height and cabling quality
Live TV Streaming via Freeview
If antenna reception is currently unavailable, many households can still watch free-to-air TV via Freeview live streaming over the internet.
Freeview allows you to stream live TV channels using:
- A smart TV with Freeview built-in
- Streaming devices such as Apple TV, Fetch, Chromecast and similar platforms
- A computer, tablet or smartphone via Freeview app or website
This can be an excellent short-term solution while broadcast infrastructure is being repaired, provided you have a reliable internet connection.
Please note: streaming quality depends on your internet speed and data limits, and some regional programming may differ from local Bendigo broadcasts.
Satellite TV as a Back Up Option
In locations where no suitable terrestrial signal is available, VAST satellite TV may be an alternative. This system delivers free-to-air channels via satellite and is commonly used in regional and black-spot areas.
How Jim’s Antennas Can Help?
Jim’s Antennas technicians are equipped with professional signal testing equipment and extensive local knowledge. We can help by:
- Testing available signals from alternative towers
- Realigning existing antennas where suitable signal is present
- Upgrading antennas to higher-gain or more appropriate models
- Checking cabling and amplifiers to maximise performance
- Providing honest advice of terrestrial TV is not currently viable
- Discussing satellite or streaming solutions where needed
We will only recommend realignment or upgrades if there is sufficient signal available to deliver reliable reception.
What Should You Do Next?
If you’ve lost TV reception following the bushfires:
- Don’t retune repeatedly — if the transmitter is offline, channels will not return.
- Check whether neighbours are affected to confirm it’s a broadcast issue.
- Try Freeview live streaming if you have internet access.
- Book a professional signal assessment to see whether another tower can be received.
Need Help Restoring Your TV?
Call Jim’s Antennas on 131 546 of book online to arrange a professional onsite signal check. Our local technicians can assess your options and help get you watching again as quickly as possible.
