RADIO AUSTRALIA - UPPER GOULBURN FM

From the sometimes hundreds of phone calls we receive of an evening, we know of an appreciative listening audience extending throughout much of the region. We take calls from the Black Spur in the South, to Lake Nillacoote in the North.. East- West listeners extend from Trawool and across Lake Eildon to the Jamieson/Kevington localities.

The station provides local news and information whilst also promoting tourism in the region. Major events are locally covered with various forms of our Outside Broadcast facilities. Our charter includes the provision of assistance to emergency services in times of flood, bushfire, etc., and on the other hand,

non profit community groups have access. They can promote activities free of charge. Furthermore, schools and colleges have access to facilities for media studies etc. The audience is a mix of all age groups, and many listeners have told us that they have tuned permanently, listening to all program styles.

Day time programming is generally a 60' s to 90's music mix, with local interviews and news content. Evenings/nights warm up to party- time and request programs on the weekends. Special interest programs feature during week nights. During a typical week all listener tastes are catered for. Classical, Aussie, Jazz, Rock & Roll, Music from Shows, Nostalgia, New Music, Guitar, Bush and Folk, Country, Christian, Dance and of course, past hits from 60's up to the Current Charts.

Listener occupations are a broad mix. Whilst many residents work in the agricultural and allied industries, the timber industry also features strongly. The infrastructure to support these, power generation, irrigation plus the leisure and tourist industry covers most occupations. With the local rivers and the playground of Lake Eildon on our doorstep, many thousands of water-skiers and fishermen share vacations with some 800 permanently located luxury houseboats.

The newly created Lake Eildon National Park features the former highly regarded Fraser National Park and many other lakeside established camping areas. Another big attraction of the area can be seen in the growing number of 4WD enthusiasts who have discovered the beauty and adventure to be found in our mountainous areas.

In October 1994 UG fm's first transmission took place on low power and in mono within the town of Alexandra. The test permit allowed the station to broadcast for 65 hours each weekend from 7 am Friday until midnight Sunday.

October 1995 saw the service expanded to a much larger listening area upon commissioning a new transmitter site on a mountain overlooking Lake Eildon, this time as a stereo signal. Our prime transmitter is still at this site, and in October 1997 the station was granted a full time tempory licence. The stations full time permanent licence was granted in May 1998 and took effect in October 1998.

UGFM's original licence application includes provision to install, fill in transmitters in Yea and Marysville areas where terrain causes a shadowing effect. The total coverage of Murrindindi Shire is intended to take place as funds become available along with Government approval.

MARCH 1st 2000 UPDATE

Click the "NEWS" link (above) for the latest news on our testing of frequencies for our fill-in transmitters at both Yea and Marysville

BELOW:
The Phantom relaxes as he waits for the cd to finish.