The History of Plenty Valley FM

The group’s first broadcast was held on the 3rd and 4th of October 1987 at the Greensborough Festival with landline loud speakers in Main Street. The step to register as an aspirant group was taken in November 1987. A public meeting was held at Diamond Valley Shire Offices in March 1988, and a Steering Committee was formed.

During its aspirant phase, Plenty Valley Community Radio conducted a number of test transmissions as part of its lead up submitting an application for a licence. The first transmission was conducted over 48 hours on the weekend of 18th to 19th of July 1988. Outer North Eastern Community Radio (as we were then known) utilised a caravan set up as a mobile studio, located adjacent to a 30 metre high elevated water tower (the “Chupa-Chup” or “Golf Ball”!) then in Greensborough. Results from the test were encouraging with nearly 400 phone calls being received. The test was also marked by the first live outside broadcast, from a site in Kangaroo Ground where one of the Bicentennial Beacons was being lit.

The second transmission was conducted from a more elevated site in Wattle Glen, this time for seven days from 3rd to 9th of October 1988. The Greensborough Festival was held over the weekend of the transmission, so this provided an opportunity to conduct live outside broadcasts utilising telephone lines. The first programs run by and for local schools were presented each afternoon. These were so successful that they provided a catalyst for many schools to subscribe to the association.

A third test transmission was conducted from 7th to 13th of November 1988 from what was to be the station’s first home at the old Yarrambat Primary School. A one hour link-up was held with a community radio station in London with both stations broadcasting simultaneously. Live outside broadcasts via telephone lines were conducted from the Eltham Festival.

Support from local councils and community organisations had consolidated over this development period to the point where the group developed a proposal to act as an information outlet to the community in the event of a civic emergency.

The fourth test transmission was again from Yarrambat, from 13th to 19th of March 1989. The group was fortunate in having the School of Signals of the Australian Army (Simpson Barracks) broadcast conditions close to those planned for permanent broadcast providing another opportunity for outside broadcasts again via Telecom lines.

Much activity took place in late 1989 and early 1990, with the submission of the application (approximately 100 pages) for a Broadcast Licence in November 1989. In March 1990 the group went before the Australian Broadcasting Tribunal (now known as the Australian Communications & Media Authority - ACMA), to present the application. The committee were questioned on how the station would benefit the community, how it would be run, its technical capability and the quantity and quality of people to present radio programs reflecting the community and its needs. The Committee were supported in person by a large group of Police & Emergency Services personnel. The Australian Broadcasting Tribunal (now ACMA) acknowledged the group’s application as the most professional and best presented of the eight cases under evaluation and informally approved the issue of a licence.

The next phase of development entailed establishing, testing and preparation for the official inspection of the station’s technical facilities. Another test broadcast was carried out, from the 1st to 7th of October 1990, this time from the Valley Central Shopping Centre (now Greensborough Plaza) in Greensborough. The highlight of this test was the live performance by local artists in the centre court area of the centre.

December 1990 saw the commencement of the final test broadcast, this time simulating planned programming and staffing schedules. Although arranged to last from the 3rd to 16th of December, the ABA gave confirmation of the group’s warrant prior to the end of the test, and the station commenced its regular broadcast routine which was from 5pm – 12 midnight weekdays and 7am – 12 midnight on weekends. Since then, 24 hour broadcasting has commenced.

In 1999 the station relocated its administration and studios to Mill Park where they remain; the transmitter site is still at the Telstra tower at Joyce’s Hill in Yan Yean Road Yarrambat.