History
2012
17 January ’12 – Installation of a diesal Generator to service the station in the event of a total power outage during an emergency situation e.g. fire, flood etc. The generator was funded through a grant from the Foundation for Regional and Rural Revival (FRRR). Dick Puttyfoot and Rob O’Connor were responsible for this project.
2011
17 October ’11 – Opening of the new downstair Studios by Alpine Shire Mayor Nino Mautone. Nino presented president Bill Sutton with a plaque to be hung prominently in the station foyer. There were 60 people in attendance including local Victorian MP Bill Sykes. Following the opening attendees were invited for a morning tea and a tour of the studios.
Bill also presented Robert O’Connor with a Life Membership for his 10 years of service as the station’s Technical Officer. Rob has been responsible for the transmission of the signal into the Kiewa and Ovens Valleys.
20 August ’11 – First broadcast into the Ovens Valley on 92.9 FM from a transmitter on Apex Hill Lookout near Bright Vic. The signal is broadcast from the station at the Mount Beauty Visitor Information Centre Precinct then to Big Hill (1,250m) in the Kiewa Valley and then to Apex Hill Lookout (600m). It is received at Apex Hill Lookout on 96.5 FM and re-transmitted on 92.9 FM. Our technicians Rob O’Connor and Dick Puttyfoot have done all the technical work to make this happen.
17 August ’11 – At the stations AGM incoming president Bill Sutton presented Paul L’Huillier with Life Membership. Paul has been on the committee since the station was formed in August 2001. He has held the positions of president, secretary, treasurer and has been the IT co-ordinator.
10 March ’11 – Alpine Radio is now an Official Emergency Services Broadcaster. The station and the Office of the Emergency Services Commissioner (represented by acting ES Commissioner Joe Buffone) signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at a ceremony held at the station and attended by representatives of all emergency service organisations in the Valley. Note: The station had been notified on 25 January 2011 that it had finally been recognised as an official emergency services broadcaster.
20 February ’11 – Alpine Radio officially took over the housing and operation of the Mount Beauty Weather Station. Alpine Radio owns the weather station (donated by the Mt Beauty Chamber of Commerce) and computer/software (donated by Tony & Lyn Beggs). The data is uploaded to the stations website and is available live for public access at <www.weather.alpineradio.com.au>.
12 February ’11 – A big day for Alpine Radio – the move to the new studios downstairs after 4.5 years of effort. The station had an excellent roll up of volunteers to move furniture, computers, the CD & Record library plus heaps of other stuff. Rob O’Connor and Dick Puttyfoot had the difficult job of completing the technical work to get us back on-air by Sunday evening. We had been running auto programming during the move. The first broadcast occurred Sunday evening 13 February ’11 at 6:00pm with presenter Derek Hutton broadcasting his ‘Sunday Night Classics’ program.
3 February ’11 – Through the Alpine Shire’s Community Grants Program the station was allocated $5,000.00 towards the completion of the ‘studio relocation to downstairs’ project.
25 January ’11 – The Office of the Emergency Services Commissioner (OESC) notified Alpine Radio that it was now an ‘Official Emergency Services Broadcaster’.
2010
12 November ’10 – Station was successful in obtaining a Community Broadcasting Foundation (CBF) salary subsidy grant to assist it to employ a part-time station manager.
12 March ’10 – The station completed its change over to broadcasting only on 96.5 FM (92.5 FM has been turned off). The signal now goes directly from the station to Big Hill. Plans our in progress to improve the signal into the Ovens Valley i.e. it is investigating the possiblility of locating another tramsmitter on Apex Hill near Bright. A number of working bees were organised during the change over period arranged by our Technical Officer Rob O’Connor. Those in attendance were: Dick Puttyfoot, Derek Hutton, Paul L’Huillier and Ian Erbacher.
28 February ’10 – The Australian Communication and Media Authority (ACMA) approved the stations Licence Renewal Application for another five years.
7 January ’10 – The station moved its transmitter to Big Hill and commenced broadcasting on 96.5 FM. It also planned to continue to broadcast on 92.5 FM for a couple of months to sort out any problems.
2009
26 November ’09 – The station was informed by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) that they will extend the licence area of Community radio broadcasting service 3VKV, known as ‘Alpine Radio’ to include the townships of Bright, Dederang and Falls Creek. This will involve: 1. the moving of our transmitter to Big Hill, 2. being allocated a new frequency (96.5 FM) and 3. granting us extra transmitting power. This is excellent news as this has been a four year project by the station to get better coverage throughout the Alpine Shire.
12 August ’09 – At the station’s 2009 Annual General Meeting Mary Smith was honoured with a Life Membership in recognition of her contributions and service in the development of the station during its first eight years of operation. In particular, her vision to start a community radio station in the Upper Kiewa Valley, her six years as President, and her dedicated service as a presenter and the manager of sponsorships and production.
2 June ’09 – The station was informed by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) that they had investigated the possiblity of us moving our transmitter to Big Hill and being allocated a new frequency. This is excellent news as this has been a three and half year project by the station to get better coverage throughout the Alpine Shire. We wait for the next stage of the process.
24 May ’09 – The station was successful in obtaining a Foundation (CBF) Grant to purchase a laptop computer and wide screen monitor for the specific purpose of conducting Outside Broadcasts (OB).
2008
4 December ’08 – The station was successful in obtaining a Round 1 Community Development Grant from the Alpine Shire to assist with Stage 2 of the Station’s Relocation Project. This will comprise the construction of the ‘shell’ within the large Shire building to house the three studios (main, production and training), a music library, reception area and manager’s office.
28 November ’08 – An historical event took place outside the Mt Beauty Post Office. The station conducted its first ‘REAL’ outside broadcast via the internet. We used a broadband connection supplied by the post office and using two software programs, namely LogMeIn and Skype we were able to remotely operate the studio computer and talk via the Skype connection just as if the presenter was in the studio. Amazing!! Mary Smith has been presenting her morning breakfast program (from home) over the internet for the last two months as she is unable to access the upstairs studio due to her ankle injury.
16 April ’08 – Stage 1 (Toilet and Kitchen) of the Station’s Relocation Project is at the finalisation stage and is now in use.
2007
5 December ’07 – Station was successful in obtaining a salary subsidy grant from the Community Broadcasting Foundation (CBF) to assist it to employ a part-time station manager and sponsorship manager. The Alpine Shire, through its Community Development Grants Program, is assisting the station to complete Stage 1 of its station relocation project. The station also received further CBF funding to continue with its training of presenters in ‘Certificate III in Radio Broadcasting’.
16 March ’07 – Permit for our Station Relocation Project approved by the Alpine Shire. It is all go now to build the toilets (Stage 1) as part of our relocation of the station downstairs to give us more room and allow better access for members of the community. Rob O’connor together with Eric Harvey are co-ordinating this project.
1 January ’07 – Alpine Radio submitted an application to the Australian Communication and Media Authority (ACMA) for a Second Broadcasting Licence . The plan is to place a 100 Watt transmitter on Big Hill to gain greater coverage of the Kiewa Valley including Falls Creek and broadcast into the Ovens Valley including Bright.
2006
10-24 December ’06 – The December Bushfires threatened the towns of Mt Beauty, Tawonga, Tawonga South, Bogong Village and the ski resort of Falls Creek. Presenters where on-air 24/7 broadcasting up-to-date information (supplied by the incident control centres of the CFA and DSE) to the residents of the Upper Kiewa Valley. It was truely a community effort during this trying period by all voluntary organisations and Alpine Radio was proud to be able to assist by communicating regular fire updates.
1 September ’06 – Alpine Radio appointed its first Part-time paid Station Manager with Mary Smith gaining the appointment. Mary is contracted to work 10 hours (Monday to Friday) on a consultancy fee basis. She will also earns commissions on sponsorships sourced.
1 June ’06 – Alpine Radio received a Community Broadcasting Foundation (CBF) Training Grant to conduct accredited training for presenters. Four broadcasting modules will be offered in the TAFE ‘Certificate in Broadcasting’ to 15 presenters in the second half of ’06. Our training co-ordinator Bill Sutton is co-ordinating the training program with assistance from Dorothy Morrison and Cathy Gunn.
26 January ’06 – Alpine Radio was awarded the Alpine Shire 2005 Community Organisation of the Year. The station was presented with the award at the Australian Day ceremony held in the Swimming Pool gardens.
2005
5/6 November ’05 – Alpine Radio hosted the 2005 AGM, management meeting, presentations and associated activities for the Southern Community Media Association (SCMA) . Eight community stations were represented. On the Sunday morning the delegates had a tour of Falls Creek, the Bogong High Plains and Alpine National Park finishing with a BBQ at Bogong Village.
21 October ’05 – The station held its first Sponsors Party for all past and current sponsors at the station. This was an opportunity for sponsors to meet the current committee, look over the station and to voice a sponsorship of their own.
18 October ’05 – The station conducted its first Satellite test broacast at 9:30pm using the ComRadSat program “Smoky Dawson’s Country Showcase.
20 September ’05 – The station received a grant from the Community Broadcasting Foundation (CBF) for a Digital Delivery Network Player i.e. a computer with special software. This computer combined with the satellite will enable us to record programs from other sources and play them later to fit in with our program schedule.
4 July ’05 – A Community Radio Satellite (ComRadSat) dish was erected on the roof of the station. The station is working towards getting a satellite receiver/decoder, audio balancing amplifier and Digital Delivery Network Player (computer) that will allow online ordering, automated recording of Community Radio Satellite (ComRadSat) programs for later replay. The system will allow Alpine Radio to greatly diversify its programming schedule and offer many excellent programs not otherwise available to a small community like ours.
7 February ’05 — Alpine Radio conducted its first official Listener Survey targeting all mail boxes in Mt Beauty and all post office boxes in Mt Beauty, Tawonga South and Tawonga. A distribution to 1,100 households.
1 February ’05 – Alpine Radio was issued with its Permanent Broadcasting Licence by the Australian Broadcasting Authority (ABA) after 18 months of broadcasting on a temporary licence. The ABA and the ACA have amalgamated and are now called the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA).
26 January ’05 — Our president Mary C Smith was awared the Alpine Shire Local Achiever Award for 2005 at the Australia Day Ceremony conducted in the Swimming Pool gardens at Mount Beauty.
2004
1 November ’04 — Alpine Radio was awarded the Alpine Shire Business & Tourism Judges Encouragement Award for 2004
20 October ’04 — The station submitted an Application for a Permanent Licence to the Australian Broadcasting Authority. If all is in order we should be allocated the licence in February ’05.
9 October ’04 — The station had been using a secondhand link transmitter and receiver but this was causing problems so a new link and receiver were purchased for a cost of $4,800. This was installed and our reception and sound has improved beyond our expectations. It is a credit to our technical officer Rob O’Connor that we have such a good sound in the Valley.
8 October ’04 — Alpine Radio’s Youth Presenters received an Alpine Shire Youth Council Award for recognition and outstanding achievement in the Category of Community Involvement – Group. Congratulations to Annelei O’Connor, Simone Short, Mindy Stewart, Alice Bellingham, Sean Ryan, Latham Deans and Lee Schmaeger the youth presenters involved and to Angela Toniolo our youth committee convenor.
2 October ’04 — The first presenters meeting was held since the station was moved to its new location. A specially prepared Presenter’s Kit including a re-edited Presenters’ Handbook was distributed to better inform presenters of station procedures, policies, guidelines and to assist them to improve their presentation skills.
31 July ’04 — The Station’s Official Opening at its new location. This occured at a social function attended by members, sponsors and supporters at the new location (Alpine Discovery Centre Precinct on the Kiewa Valley Highway – Mount Beauty) by Alpine Shire CEO Doug Sharp. Doug was representing the Mayor Julie Carroll who was unable to attend.
10 July ’04 — The station installed a Computer Automation System that allows presenters to play all genres of music via the computer and MJM Solutions software called the MJM Player. Programs can be automated to play music, station IDs, sponsorships, CFA, SES, Health and Police messages for any period of time. Presenters can plan their programs using a networked computer in the office, save them and play them later on the studio computer.
26 June ’04 — In the week leading up to this day heaps of renovation work was done at the new site to get it to an occupiable level. The station was then moved from 26 Hollonds St Mount Beauty to our new home at the Alpine Discovery Centre Precinct. The mast from the roof was relocated the next day and the transmitter made operational at its new location 4km north of Mount Beauty at the Bogong Estate on Tuesday 29 June ’04.
26 May ’04 — A telephone – talkback unit was installed in the main studio and used for the first time allowing presenters to do on-air interviews over the telephone. Thanks to our sponsors of this unit: Dr Bill Sykes-MP for Benalla, Mt Beauty Medical Centre & the Bogong Outdoor Education Centre and to our station technicians who installed the unit – Rob O’Connor & Dick Puttyfoot.
4 May ’04 — The Alpine Shire announced that we had been successful with our application to gain occupancy of the old Kangaroo Hoppet Office next to the Alpine Discover Centre. We will be relocating the station from 26 Hollonds St to the new location in early July ’04. This means Alpine Radio will have a permanent home. We are grateful to the Shire for the ongoing support.
2 May ’04 — The transmitting mast from Mt Beauty Secondary College was relocated 4km north of town to the Bogong Estate on the corner of Mountain Creek Rd and Damms Rd. Thanks to Don, Bill & Helen Tynan for their generous offer to allow us to place the transmitting mast on their property. This will be used to re-transmit the signal from our new studio at the Alpine Discovery Centre Precinct to better improve the reception in Tawonga, Dederang, Bogong Village and Falls Creek. This is part of work in progress and the project is planned to be completed by early July ’04.
2003
23 August ’03 — The station conducted its first broadcast from a rented shop at 26 Hollonds Street (main street) Mount Beauty.
2002
25 July ’02 — A Temporary Community Broadcasting Licence (TCBL) was allocated by the Australian Broadcasting Authority. Throughout 2002/03 regular mock street broadcasts, sessions at the local Country Club and general fundraising kept the project public. Bryan Pickthall and Mary Smith worked tirelessly with station promotion and fundraising during this period.
2001
15 November ’01 — The organisation was incorporated as ‘ Kiewa Valley Community Radio Association Inc.‘ and would broadcast as ‘Alpine Radio 92.5 FM.‘
7 August ’01 — The community radio project was initiated by Mary Smith who called a public meeting to gauge community support. A steering committee was formed to follow through with the process. The Initial Committee comprised: Ken Reid (president), Isla Macleod (vice president), Paul L’Huillier (secretary), Bryan Pickthall (treasurer), Mary Smith (media & public releations), David Bower and Luke Addinsall. Technical Advisor: Rob O’Connor.