Community
1 February, 2025
On air for the people
A COMMUNITY radio station, which has been a mainstay of Cairns, is flourishing as it celebrates 40 years next week.

Despite being to the brink at least three times, Cairns FM89.1 continues its 24/7 operations involving more than 100 volunteers from its Cairns TAFE base.
All its broadcasters and other staff give their time free with just one full-time staff member.
Its budget is just $200,000 a year and it relies on grants and donations from federal, state and local governments, as well as other organisations, with almost no advertising or sponsorships.
President Brian Stevenson said the station, first known as 4CCR – the first local high fidelity stereo FM station – had overcome its share of challenges over the years, including financial pressures, volunteer shortages and growing competition from other local and national broadcasters.
“But through it all, the station has remained a cornerstone of the community and continues to broadcast 24/7,” he said. “As we begin 2025, the station is thriving. We broadcast from our studios on the TAFE campus in Manunda and our programming has evolved.”
“We not only play a broad range of music – including a strong focus on Australian artists – but also feature a variety of talk programs, Indigenous content and feature broadcasts from Cairns’ diverse ethnic communities.
“Despite its progress, the station faces familiar challenges. Funding remains a constant concern, as does the need for volunteers to contribute both on-air and behind the scenes.”
The station’s audience of about 25,000 covers an area from Gordonvale to Cooktown and west to Dimbulah. Their demographics are broad but generally aged 40-plus.
It is beloved by the ethnic community, including Thai, Korean, Japanese, Samoan, Irish, Cantonese, Chinese, Mandarin, Cook Island, Dutch, Italian, South American, German and Timorese.
“We provide information you can’t get anywhere else, as well as music. Thirty per cent of our musical programming is Australian, especially Queensland and local,” Mr Stevenson said.
“We play music that other radio stations don’t,” he said.
Presenter Alan Searle said the volunteers, mostly retirees, enjoyed being involved in the community.
“They (the community) like the music we play,” he said.
The station had its beginnings on February 8, 1985, at Raintrees shopping centre after securing a license in 1984.
With the license in hand, the team began gathering equipment – mostly second-hand and borrowed – from sources such as the ABC, 4CA and Telecom.
The transmitter tower was set up across the inlet at the foot of the range then relocated to the summit of Mt Yarrabah, and the station began broadcasting a mix of classical, jazz and easy listening music. The station moved to TAFE eight years ago.
On February 8, Cairns FM89.1 will present a special radio event from 9am until noon with Mr Stevenson and Anna Cito serving as co-hosts. They will play the top 10 songs of 1985 and review the top news stories from Australia. What would you like to hear on the radio station? Email your ideas to: info@cairnsfm891.org.au