The Dereel base station, which was originally set for a 2018 planning commencement and construction date, could be ready by December if the National Broadband Network approves Telstra’s push to co-locate its base station using an existing NBN tower.

While upcoming construction and on-air dates are subject to change, Telstra area general manager for Ballarat Steve Tinker said the station could be running by mid-December.

Improved reception would be a massive coup for residents in the area as the fire season reaches its peak.

“We've got most of the approvals through, but there’s a lot of design that has to be done,” Mr Tinker said.

“That's always a consideration (regarding fire season). We clearly understand the benefits for the community (at Dereel).

An NBN spokesperson said Telstra has made one of three required applications to use the site, which was around verifying the tower height.

Mr Tinker said talks had been ongoing.

“We are working with NBN Co in the design and planning and, pending a number of further approvals, we hope to be providing Dereel with expanded mobile coverage in the coming months,” he said.

Dereel resident Doug Braddy said an improvement to phone coverage is “desperately needed” in the area.

“It would be brilliant if they’re going to do it by the end of this year,” Mr Braddy said.

“I personally don’t have a mobile phone out here, because of the (lack of) coverage.

“If it works, yep (I will get one).”

However, Mr Braddy said he hopes the location of the tower will provide adequate service to residents.

“We’re about four kilometres away from the tower and we get magnificent coverage from the NBN,” he said.

“But there’s a 99 per cent treed area in Dereel and 99 per cent of residents live among the trees.

“We know people who live even closer to us to the tower who can’t get on the NBN (and have to use satellite services).

“I hope they’ve (Telstra) done their homework.”

Meanwhile, Mr Tinker said Telstra’s continued mobile black spot program would “absolutely not” be impeded by an ongoing dispute regarding the Glenlyon station.

The station is set for a Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal hearing in February.

“We do these (each station) individually,” Mr Tinker said.

“Each of these will have different requirements for approvals.”

The Leonards Hill station, south of Daylesford, looks to be the next site to be completed under the national roll-out, with works likely to begin next February or March.

Earlier this week in Parliament, Corangamite MP Sarah Henderson spoke of the importance of the station.

“The people of Dereel deserve that base station as soon as possible,” she said at the time. 

“We need to make sure that those base stations go into the areas of high bushfire risk. Across the Corangamite electorate, there are many areas that are very exposed to bushfire risk.”