TVT Vault: Mildura switch off set for June 30 | TV Tonight

14 years after Mildura become the first region in Australia to switch from analogue to digital television, it will be forced to switch off Mildura Digital Television, after owners, Seven and WIN were no longer interested in maintaining their joint venture.

Originally published November 20, 2009.

Mildura will switch off analogue TV on 30th June 2010.

When it flicks the switch it will become the first region in Australia to begin the rollout to a digital-only landscape, to be completed by the end of 2013.

Senator Stephen Conroy confirmed the date for the Mildura and the Sunraysia region today.

"Sunraysia is Australia's leading digital television market and will be the first region to switch to digital-only broadcasts," he said.

"Already 79 per cent of households in the Mildura and Sunraysia area have converted and are enjoying the benefits of digital television, such as improved picture and sound quality, new content and new channels."

"Digital switchover is our biggest national format change since the swap to decimal currency and it will be an historic moment when Mildura switches to digital-only TV."

Dates for capital cities are still a long way off: Brisbane and Perth on 30 June 2013 and in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney on 31 December 2013.

Other regions will be made as switchover progresses.

The date for the Mildura region has been left as late as possible to fit in with previous statements it would take place in the first half of 2010.

ONE HD was announced this week to launch in Mildura on December 1st.

The government has also appointed Digital Switchover Liaison Officer, Kellie Boyce, to work with community groups for the big switch. She can be reached through the Digital Ready Information Line: 1800 20 10 13.