Castlemaine: landline numbers and carriers

Castlemaine is one of the town-level numbering areas the ACMA register uses under area code 03 (VIC & TAS). The register lists 36 number blocks for it with about 44,000 allocated numbers, held by 20 carriers and spread over the 0344… and 0354… dialling prefixes. That makes Castlemaine the 54th largest of 475 numbering areas under 03 by block count, with 0.13% of the area code's allocated numbers. A landline that calls you from one of these blocks was issued for the Castlemaine area — though the line may since have been ported, and caller ID can be spoofed.

Source: ACMA register, data as of 15/10/2026

36blocks in the register
20carriers with allocations
44,000allocated numbers
1991first allocation

Where Castlemaine is

State or territory
Victoria
Council area
Mount Alexander
Local time
— AEST, UTC+10; AEDT, UTC+11 in summer
Number format
03 44xx xxxx; from overseas +61 3 44xx xxxx
Nearest numbering areas
Harcourt (8 km), Maldon (15 km), Newstead (16 km), Redesdale (24 km), Kyneton (27 km)

Locality, council and state: ABS ASGS Edition 3 (CC BY 4.0). Distances are straight-line between localities.

Map of the Castlemaine numbering area in Victoria and the nearest other numbering areas
Shaded: Mount Alexander council area. The ACMA doesn't publish numbering-area boundaries, so the dot marks the Castlemaine locality rather than an exact outline; the inset shows where the map sits in Australia. Boundaries: ABS (CC BY 4.0).

How Castlemaine was numbered

The oldest block in Castlemaine was allocated on 30 June 1991 and is held today by TELSTRA LIMITED; the newest on 19 August 2026 to SYMBIO NETWORKS PTY LTD. Most of the area's blocks — 7 of 36 — date from 2005–2009, but allocations here span 35 years. 10 of the blocks are the standard 1,000-number size, 20 are 100-number blocks of the kind the ACMA has issued to VoIP and wholesale carriers since the mid-2000s, and 1 is 10,000 numbers or larger. 8 allocated blocks have changed hands since they were first issued: the register still names AAPT LIMITED, ENGIN PTY LIMITED, GOTALK LIMITED, IPTEL PTY LIMITED, IVOX PTY LTD, POWERTEL LIMITED and TWILIO AUSTRALIA PTY LTD as original allocatees of blocks now held by other carriers.

PeriodBlocks allocated
1990–19944
2000–20045
2005–20097
2010–20144
2015–20195
2020–20247
2025–20294

The carriers in Castlemaine

TELSTRA LIMITED holds the largest share here with 63.6% of allocated numbers across 4 blocks; OPTUS NETWORKS PTY LIMITED is second with 6.8%, and 18 other carriers hold the rest. TELSTRA LIMITED has the longest tenure, with a block dated 30/06/1991; SYMBIO NETWORKS PTY LTD received the newest, on 19/08/2026. PIPE INTERNATIONAL (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD (2), SYMBIO NETWORKS PTY LTD (3) and PRIMUS TELECOMMUNICATIONS PTY LIMITED (1) hold blocks originally allocated to another carrier.

CarrierBlocksNumbersShareFirst blockLatest block
TELSTRA LIMITED428,00063.6%30/06/199130/06/1991
OPTUS NETWORKS PTY LIMITED33,0006.8%12/11/200417/02/2012
PIPE INTERNATIONAL (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD23,0006.8%06/11/200309/02/2009
SYMBIO NETWORKS PTY LTD72,5005.7%23/06/200519/08/2026
OPTUS MOBILE PTY LIMITED12,0004.5%09/10/200709/10/2007
NETSIP PTY LTD31,2002.7%14/02/201816/02/2024
PRIMUS TELECOMMUNICATIONS PTY LIMITED21,1002.5%24/12/200424/05/2005
SOUL PATTINSON TELECOMMUNICATIONS PTY LIMITED21,1002.5%30/03/200014/07/2016
CHIME COMMUNICATIONS PTY LTD11,0002.3%14/07/200414/07/2004
ADARGA PTY LTD11000.2%16/09/202516/09/2025
AGILE PTY LTD11000.2%03/04/200703/04/2007
C2A INTERNET.COM.AU PTY. LTD.11000.2%13/07/202313/07/2023
CHECK TECHNOLOGY GROUP PTY LTD11000.2%31/01/202231/01/2022
LMGPS LTD11000.2%23/11/202323/11/2023
NETERA PTY LTD11000.2%24/10/202524/10/2025
PIPE NETWORKS PTY LIMITED11000.2%03/07/200703/07/2007
PIVOTEL SATELLITE PTY LIMITED11000.2%16/04/202516/04/2025
THE TRUSTEE FOR READING FAMILY TRUST11000.2%21/10/201921/10/2019
VIRTUTEL PTY LTD11000.2%20/12/201520/12/2015
WHY PAY MORE 4 LESS PTY LTD11000.2%10/05/201810/05/2018

Number blocks registered for Castlemaine

Every registered block for this area is allocated to a carrier. All 36 blocks, ascending:

Block startNumbersOriginal allocateeCurrent holderAllocatedTransferred
0344006000…1,000=OPTUS NETWORKS PTY LIMITED27/04/2007—
0344066000…2,000=OPTUS MOBILE PTY LIMITED09/10/2007—
0344104000…1,000=OPTUS NETWORKS PTY LIMITED17/02/2012—
0344109000…1,000=SYMBIO NETWORKS PTY LTD24/04/2014—
0344120100…100=VIRTUTEL PTY LTD20/12/2015—
0344169400…100=SOUL PATTINSON TELECOMMUNICATIONS PTY LIMITED14/07/2016—
0344178700…100=NETSIP PTY LTD14/02/2018—
0344189300…100=THE TRUSTEE FOR READING FAMILY TRUST21/10/2019—
0344198400…100=ADARGA PTY LTD16/09/2025—
0344209600…100TWILIO AUSTRALIA PTY LTDSYMBIO NETWORKS PTY LTD24/09/202024/02/2021
0344210900…100=WHY PAY MORE 4 LESS PTY LTD10/05/2018—
0344289200…100=NETSIP PTY LTD26/10/2021—
0344300000…1,000=SYMBIO NETWORKS PTY LTD19/06/2020—
0344301500…100=CHECK TECHNOLOGY GROUP PTY LTD31/01/2022—
0344407800…100=C2A INTERNET.COM.AU PTY. LTD.13/07/2023—
0344421000…100=LMGPS LTD23/11/2023—
0344437000…1,000=NETSIP PTY LTD16/02/2024—
0344440000…2,000POWERTEL LIMITEDPIPE INTERNATIONAL (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD09/02/200924/03/2026
0344445300…100=PIVOTEL SATELLITE PTY LIMITED16/04/2025—
0344462800…100=NETERA PTY LTD24/10/2025—
0344497100…100=SYMBIO NETWORKS PTY LTD19/08/2026—
0354013000…1,000IPTEL PTY LIMITEDSOUL PATTINSON TELECOMMUNICATIONS PTY LIMITED30/03/200001/12/2004
0354070000…1,000POWERTEL LIMITEDPIPE INTERNATIONAL (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD06/11/200324/03/2026
0354111000…1,000=OPTUS NETWORKS PTY LIMITED12/11/2004—
0354149000…1,000ENGIN PTY LIMITEDPRIMUS TELECOMMUNICATIONS PTY LIMITED24/12/200411/08/2015
0354161000…1,000=CHIME COMMUNICATIONS PTY LTD14/07/2004—
0354200500…100AAPT LIMITEDPIPE NETWORKS PTY LIMITED03/07/200724/03/2026
0354625100…100=PRIMUS TELECOMMUNICATIONS PTY LIMITED24/05/2005—
0354625200…100GOTALK LIMITEDSYMBIO NETWORKS PTY LTD23/06/200523/08/2013
0354625400…100=AGILE PTY LTD03/04/200722/11/2011
0354625500…100=SYMBIO NETWORKS PTY LTD10/08/2010—
0354625600…100IVOX PTY LTDSYMBIO NETWORKS PTY LTD18/06/201223/06/2014
0354704000…3,000=TELSTRA LIMITED30/06/1991—
0354711000…16,000=TELSTRA LIMITED30/06/1991—
0354732000…3,000=TELSTRA LIMITED30/06/1991—
0354790000…6,000=TELSTRA LIMITED30/06/1991—

Numbering areas next to Castlemaine in the register

Immediately below and above Castlemaine's blocks in the 0344… and 0354… prefixes sit Romsey, Kyneton, Gisborne, Woodend, Maryborough (VIC), Echuca, Moonambel, Bendigo, Strathfieldsaye, Boort and Gunbower.

Numbering areaFirst blockBlocksCarriers
Romsey0344000000…3420
Kyneton0344001000…4320
Gisborne0344002000…4019
Woodend0344004000…3720
Maryborough (VIC)0344005000…3719
Echuca0344007000…5019
Moonambel0344008000…3319
Bendigo0344009000…8120
Strathfieldsaye0344010000…3120
Boort0344012000…3019
Gunbower0344016000…3119

Had a call from a Castlemaine number?

No clear pattern in reports on these numbers yet. If a call worried you:

  1. Call back on a number you trust

    If a caller says they're your bank, the ATO, Services Australia, a courier or your telco, hang up and ring the organisation on the number from its website or your statement, never the number that called you. Caller ID can be faked.

  2. Report the call to Scamwatch

    The National Anti-Scam Centre uses Scamwatch reports to warn others and to get scam numbers blocked. Note the number, the time and what the caller claimed to be. If anyone is in danger, call 000.

    Report to Scamwatch ↗

  3. Register on the Do Not Call Register

    Registering landlines and mobiles is free and stops most telemarketing calls within 30 days. Charities, political parties, surveys and scammers aren't covered.

    Do Not Call Register ↗

  4. If you lost money or shared details

    Call your bank straight away on the number on your card and ask it to stop the payment. Then report it through ReportCyber, which passes cybercrime reports to Victoria Police. If your identity documents or passwords were shared, IDCARE's free support service can help you lock things down.

    ReportCyber ↗IDCARE ↗

Nationally, Scamwatch recorded $72.5 million lost to scams that started with a phone call in 2025 (down from $107.2 million), with a median loss of $3,800 per report that lost money, and phone-call scam reports are 73.7% below their 2021 level. Telcos blocked 109.3 million scam calls and 45.2 million scam texts in January to March 2026. Sources: Targeting scams 2025 (National Anti-Scam Centre); ACMA quarterly report, Jan–Mar 2026.

Castlemaine numbers: questions and answers

Where is the Castlemaine numbering area?

Castlemaine is in Victoria, in the Mount Alexander council area. The nearest other numbering areas are Harcourt (8 km), Maldon (15 km) and Newstead (16 km).

What area code does Castlemaine use?

Castlemaine numbers use area code 03. Its register blocks start with 03 44 and 03 54. From overseas, drop the 0 and dial +61 3 followed by the eight-digit local number.

What time zone is Castlemaine in?

Castlemaine is on Australian Eastern Time (AEST, UTC+10), with daylight saving (AEDT, UTC+11) from the first Sunday in October to the first Sunday in April.

Which carriers hold Castlemaine phone numbers?

The ACMA register lists 20 carriers with allocated blocks in Castlemaine. By allocated numbers the largest are Telstra (63.6%), Optus Networks (6.8%) and Pipe International (Australia) (6.8%). A number can since have been ported to another provider.

When were Castlemaine numbers first allocated?

The oldest block on record for Castlemaine was allocated on 30 June 1991 and is held by Telstra; the newest on 19 August 2026, to Symbio Networks.

How do I report a scam call from a Castlemaine number?

Report it to Scamwatch. If you lost money, call your bank first, then report it through ReportCyber, which passes it to Victoria Police. Unwanted sales calls go to the Do Not Call Register's complaint form (1300 792 958).

Check a number from Castlemaine

Scammers spoof local landline numbers to look nearby. Guides: Australian area codes, how caller ID spoofing works.