Emergency Radio Broadcasting in Australia

4WK as of last night had their contributor to bfast providing updates.

Indeed, the fire front was close to the region’s largest town, Stanthorpe, closing the bypass which skirts the western edge of the town.

Many in Tenterfield listen to ABC Southern Queensland from the Passchendale Ridge TX due to the community of interest with the towns to the north that gave rise to 2TEN’s translator in Stanthorpe. Unfortunately, the ABC’s emergency coverage is quite inflexible and doesn’t officially cater for this.

Vicki Thompson and producer are in the ABC Southern Queensland studios in Toowoomba with a nine minute update from 1145. Yes. It’s the same Vicki Thompson of DDQ TV presenting fame of the 80’s and she sounds great.

On the Gold Coast, Hot Tomato is airing the emergency siren at the top of their bulletins, not tuned to Gold or Sea.

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News Radio is also still operating for Warwick but it has a different transmitter site.

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Kate O’Toole taking over until 4pm on ABC Gold Coast and ABC Southern Queensland

Also with the experienced Lisa Herbert who is usually in the Tamworth studios.

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I believe she’s currently at ABC Southern Queensland - she hasnt been at New England North West for a while

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Meanwhile south of the border, 2TEN are live with updates on the Tenterfield fire. ABC North Coast (and presumably New England North West) are running half-hourly updates during Grandstand

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ABC Gold Coast went into coverage mode from 4pm Friday with an extended 4 hour drive program with Matt Webber, which then also went into Southern Queensland as well after 6pm. Kelly Higgins-Devine also provided coverage until 10pm for affected regions.

Brisbane’s Terri Begley has taken over as of 4pm Saturday for the next few hours to continue coverage.

Lisa has actually been based out of the Gold Coast of late.

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ABC Sunshine Coast has just switched from the statewide Evenings program, to local coverage of a massive bush-fire burning at Peregian Beach. Annie Gaffney hosting. People as far as Noosa being told to prepare to leave. At least 10 homes been reported as being lost so far.

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Todd & Sami anchoring local coverage on Mix FM. Looks like Sea FM opted out of network programming around 8:40 too.

Over at Grants, Hot 91.1 and Zinc 96.1 airing updates during The Random 30 and the 20-20 Retro Countdown respectively.

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Mornings announcer Rachel is on Sea FM doing coverage, and both stations sharing the same interview talent including 7 Local News reporters and cameraman.

On Hot 91 it’s Mornings announcer Benny and News Director Frances on-air. She’s also hopping over to the Zinc 96.1 studio too with afternoons announcer Bilko.

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If Sea and Mix were still SCA stations there would be no coverage

More than likely - Gold and Hit909 are doing bare minimum hourly updates that tell you nothing for the Lamington fire.

The commercial stations + ABC on the Sunshine Coast are doing a great job either staying back or coming in early.

I believe ABC Sunshine Coast and ABC Gold Coast are flipping between local and national programming until the morning when they will return to rolling coverage.

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Also the latest fire update now mentions a “prepare to leave” for Lower Beechmont. Wonder if the ABC Radio facility is in any danger?

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ABC Classic Southern Downs back on air.

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Coverage continues on ABC Sunshine Coast. Ross Kay currently presenting from the studios of ABC Wide Bay. Kat Davidson in from 1pm, before rejoining the network for Statewide Drive from 3pm.

Edit: Sheridan Stewart presenting a local shift for ABC Sunshine Coast in lieu of her networked Drive shift

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ABC Radio North Coast/New England are getting fire updates every 15 minutes coming from Sydney (the CSAs are ABC Radio Sydney branded).

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ABC Southern Queensland has gone into rolling coverage for the now multiple bushfires burning in around the Lockyer Valley region - including an Emergency warning one requiring the SEWS.

Coverage coming from the Southern Drive team on the Sunshine Coast with Dan Prosser. The other regions outside of Southern Queensland, where there are no bushfires, that take that show have now switched to the Northern Drive program.

how come the Abc Brisbane is not covering this the bushfire?

They are, updates following news and traffic during local program so far.

Is River 949 providing updates? They should have a journo in the newsroom.

it seem to be abc southern Qld. stop their rolling coverer.
the program is on now is Evenings

with Kelly Higgins-Devine
7pm to 10pm

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