'You shut down memories': community calls to reopen Telstra Tower

There was a nice view, and she got to eat an ice cream.

Now she wants Telstra to reopen the iconic tower so a new generation can enjoy the site.

"I want the Telstra people to know that they've shut down something that is very important to people, that people have memories there," Samantha said.

"They might have got ice cream and it was a fun time, and they want to do that again."

"Please reopen Black Mountain Tower, because it was my favourite place to go when I was little."

The Canberra icon has been closed since 2021, when Telstra blocked off the tourist site for essential repair work. The closure has since been made indefinite.

Telstra said that discussions on the Tower's future were still ongoing.

Chief Minister Andrew Barr, who is also Minister for Tourism, said he's meeting with the CEO of Telstra in the next few weeks to get an update on the Tower.

The government has been encouraging the company to invest in restoring the landmark.

"An upgraded Tower could include a mix of experiences and products including; viewing decks, a restaurant or café, event space, business and meeting facilities and education facilities and unique tourism experiences," he said.

"Telstra has been hosting workshops in Canberra as a part of the next stage of their work to scope design options for a remodelled tower."

Samantha's dad Dan Hoyles said the Tower used to be a really good go-to thing to do on an afternoon with the kids.

"Often after we'd gone to the playground, and the kids had said, I don't want to go home, we'd come up to the tower. And the kids loved it."

"We used to come a lot and we used to go for an ice cream up here."

He encouraged Samantha to write a letter to the editor, which was published in The Canberra Times on March 19.

The Telstra Tower came into the spotlight recently when a local Canberran bemoaned the state of the icon in a community Facebook group.

Local Josip Sladic complained of graffitied signs and uncollected rubbish. His post has since gained over 450 comments.

"For something that was once in our top three tourist attractions, it is kind of embarrassing to watch tourists step out of their cars briefly and express disgust at the sights and smells that confront them," he said.

"This can't be good for future tourism revenue."

A Telstra spokesperson said that while they're responsible for the maintenance of the tower and its immediate vicinity, they are not responsible for the land surrounding it, or the car park.

The signs that appeared in the Facebook post have since been taken down and cleaned.

"As much of it (the signage) was old and now severely damaged, last week we had a work crew remove it and what remains is now graffiti free," the spokesperson said.

If the Tower is reopened, Samantha says she will be the first in the door.

"I would go inside, and I would check out everything, and I would get an ice cream," she said.