Question 1

What does the ACMA reserve?

Accepted Answer

The Australian Communications and Media Authority sets aside numbers specifically so they can be used in TV shows, films and other creative works. These include the geographic blocks (02) 5550 xxxx, (03) 5550 xxxx, (07) 5550 xxxx and (08) 5550 xxxx, a published list of thirty mobile numbers, and a handful of 1800 and 1300 numbers.

Question 2

Why are the mobile numbers always from the same short list?

Accepted Answer

Because the ACMA reserved individual numbers rather than a whole block for mobiles — thirty of them, each published in full. Changing any digit would produce a number outside the reservation, which could well belong to somebody, so this generator picks one of the thirty unchanged.

Question 3

What does the first digit of the postcode mean?

Accepted Answer

It identifies the state or territory: 2xxx is New South Wales and the ACT, 3xxx is Victoria, 4xxx is Queensland, 5xxx is South Australia, 6xxx is Western Australia, 7xxx is Tasmania and 08xx is the Northern Territory. The generator keeps the postcode consistent with the suburb and state it pairs it with.