Mine Site in Remote North QLD

About The Client

The client, a telecommunications carrier specialising in direct fibre services, engaged MarchNet to design a high‑capacity fibre-like telecommunications solution for one of its mining clients operating at a mine site located approximately 130km north of Mount Isa in remote North Queensland. The site’s isolation and terrain presented unique challenges in delivering carrier‑grade connectivity capable of supporting modern mining operations.

The Business Challenge

The end-client required high‑speed, highly reliable connectivity to support mining operations and the worker accommodation village. The target capacity was 1/1Gbps, with 400/400Mbps as a minimum, and an end‑to‑end availability objective of 99.9%.

Key challenges included:

• The extreme remoteness of the site, with no practical access to fibre infrastructure
• Complex terrain requiring multiple long‑distance microwave links
• Several infrastructure locations accessible only by helicopter
• The need to integrate new infrastructure with existing network assets while maintaining carrier‑grade performance and resilience

The client engaged MarchNet to undertake a detailed Design Study and site survey to confirm feasibility and define a technically robust solution that could be deployed, supported and maintained in practice.

The Business Solution

After completing a comprehensive Design Study including onsite surveys, MarchNet confirmed that a five‑hop microwave network could deliver 1/1Gbps bandwidth and the required 99.9% availability.

“MarchNet has a good reputation for delivery and support of reliable communications networks in remote locations across Australia. As a specialist in microwave network design and delivery, MarchNet was a natural choice to engage to provide a fibre-like service for our client where building fibre was not possible.”— The client

The client subsequently engaged MarchNet to deliver the end-to-end microwave solution of approximately 135km, which involved:

• Leveraging existing MarchNet microwave infrastructure in the Cloncurry region, including an existing microwave POP with fibre backhaul, and two existing microwave repeaters
• Upgrading the fibre backhaul capacity at the microwave POP to support the additional 1/1Gbps throughput
• Deploying a new Coolullah microwave repeater site with 15m mast and solar power system situated on a high point, with the site accessible by helicopter only
• Deploying a new Bortala microwave repeater site with 15m mast and solar power system situated on a high point, with the site accessible by helicopter only
• Constructing a new 40‑metre tower at the mine site, terminating the microwave service into the existing onsite communications network

All new infrastructure was engineered to accommodate helicopter‑only access and the harsh, physical conditions of deployment in remote Queensland.

The Business Outcome

MarchNet’s implementation of a high-capacity communications network for its telecommunications carrier client demonstrates how robust telecommunications solutions can support the critical operations of one of North Queensland’s most remote mine sites.

The outcome delivered to the end-client included:

• Confidence Through Design: The detailed Design Study enabled the client to make an informed investment decision, supported by confirmed line‑of‑sight analysis and physical site validation.
• Reduced Delivery Risk: By partnering with a telecommunications carrier in MarchNet who specialises in designing and delivering purpose-built networks, delivery of a fit-for-purpose solution for the end-client was ensured where others could not.
• Future-Proof Design: A high-capacity and high-availability network architecture supporting current and future operational requirements.

MarchNet’s solution proved that with strategic planning and robust infrastructure, essential connectivity can be delivered effectively even in Australia’s most challenging environments, supporting the ongoing success of mining operations.