Telstra announced on Thursday it would install 18 towers in the Wimmera in a bid to eliminate mobile phone blackspots.

However, areas with known blackspots, including Laharum, Wartook Valley and Yaapeet, were not on the upgrade list.

Laharum farmer Glenn Mibus said the Laharum and Wartook communities had been pushing for improved coverage for about 10 years.

‘‘We’ve been fighting since the fires in 2006 – and we’ve had fires many times since then and floods in 2011,’’ he said.

‘‘Nine out of 10 fires that go through the Wimmera are in our area, and every time the Country Fire Brigade struggles with communication.

‘‘Laharum’s football ground is often used a refuge area, but there is no phone coverage.

‘‘If people congregate there and there are no landlines, it’s a safety risk.’’

Mr Mibus said the community had discussed the issue with Member for Mallee Andrew Broad a number of times.

‘‘We have been ensured many times we would get money for phone towers in the blackspot funding program,’’ he said.

‘‘We thought we were a shoo-in and we were told we were the number one priority.’’

Mr Mibus said he could not believe it when he heard the area had missed out on Thursday.

‘‘We want answers – what else do we need to do to get this fixed?’’ he said. ‘‘We tick all the boxes – we tick the tourism box, we tick the risk box.’’

The new Grampians Peaks Trail will include parts of the Wartook Valley.

‘‘If someone on the track is in trouble, or gets injured, there are no houses around. How are they going to get help?’’ Mr Mibus said.

Mr Mibus, with the help of his daughter Bianca Mibus, has started a Facebook campaign to fight for money for a tower.

‘‘We haven’t given up hope,’’ he said.

Last year, Wartook residents were unable to communicate with vital emergency services as fire tore through the area on January 16 and 17.

Wartook resident Royce Raleigh stayed to defend his property and was left with a frightening communications blackout as fire surrounded his home.

‘‘The community has been striving for more than 20 years to get better communications and it just falls on deaf ears,’’ he said.

Mr Broad said he could understand why the communities were disappointed.

‘‘Laharum will get a little bit of coverage with this rollout,’’ he said.

‘‘However, with Wartook the issue was a very expensive tower and a small population.

‘‘The challenge now is to talk to Telstra, see just how expensive it is and see how we can make the region appear more favourable in round two.’’

Mr Broad said he never assured anyone their area would get a tower.

‘‘I assured people they were my highest priority, which was true,’’ he said.

‘‘Other priorities were Wemen, which also missed out, and Yaapeet.

‘‘I was honest, but it just didn’t translate unfortunately.’’