TV back on air in Bendigo | Television tonight

Free-to-air television networks will be back on air in Victoria’s Bendigo region this afternoon, following extensive damage to broadcast infrastructure during the recent bushfires.

Crews have installed temporary transmission facilities and equipment at the Mount Alexander transmission site, which is shared by all commercial and national broadcasters in the region, after it suffered significant fire damage on January 9, 2026.

Two channels from Seven Network (Seven and 7mate), WIN Network (9 and Avg) and Network 10 (10 and 10 Drama), as well as ABC and SBS, will be available from 5pm AEDT.

The new broadcast equipment tested today will ensure all ABC TV, including the main ABC channel, ABC News, ABC Entertains and ABC Kids, will be restored in time for tonight’s evening news.

ABC TV, SBS and commercial broadcasters will remain on air with a footprint smaller than before the fire and the signal may be unstable initially. This is expected to improve in the coming days.

Viewers are encouraged to rescan their televisions to ensure all available channels are restored.

Andrew Lancaster, Chief Executive Officer of WIN Network, said: “The restoration reflects an extraordinary effort across the sector. This has been a complex and challenging recovery following catastrophic bushfire damage. I want to recognize the dedication of broadcast engineers, transmission partners and emergency services who have worked tirelessly to restore services to the Bendigo community.”

Jeff Howard, Managing Director and CEO of Southern Cross Media Group (which owns Seven Network), said: “All broadcasters have been working closely together, alongside Broadcast Australia and Telstra, to restore our essential services in the Bendigo area as quickly as possible. We are fully committed to supporting the community during the bushfire recovery efforts and returning all services to full capacity as quickly as possible.”

Beverley McGarvey, president of Network 10, said: “We recognize the vital role local television plays in keeping the community informed and connected, especially in times of crisis. We extend our sincere gratitude to the emergency services, technicians and everyone who worked tirelessly to restore the service. Our thoughts are with everyone affected by the fires, and we remain committed to supporting the Bendigo region as it recovers and rebuilds.”

“This has been a great collaboration between all broadcasters and BAI to restore transmission services following the Bendigo fires,” said ABC Chief Digital and Information Officer Damian Cronan.

“Trucks arrived in Bendigo early this week with a range of transmission hardware, and teams from BAI have now completed the connection and testing of new equipment to ensure the community gets its ABC back. Once we have all our services back in the air, we will focus on how quickly we can get back to full strength. We thank the community for its patience and will continue to update as we know more.”

It is expected that reduced television services will remain in place while infrastructure at the Mount Alexander site is rebuilt.

What ABC audiences need to know

• Restoration is a progressive process, initially expect poorer quality and reduced transmission reliability.
• You may need to rescan your TV to ensure ABC services return.
• Communities near the Victoria-NSW border north of Bendigo and the Daylesford region may experience continued reception problems until full power is restored.
• The public can also listen to radio services on the ABC Listen app and watch TV via ABC iview where internet is available.
• Our teams are working around the clock to restore reliable transmission services as quickly as possible.

Community updates will continue as this work progresses.