Radio has been around Deniliquin for over a century though it wasn’t until the 1930s that regular service was provided
2ZE (1923-1924)
Tests were carried out in 1923; one report was made by The Independent in April 1923.
By July 1923, The Pastoral Times reported that they got to listen to a local transmission.
A broadcast from the station was heard in other parts of New South Wales as well as being heard in South Australia and Victoria, this was determined by feedback that was sent in to them.
A 1923 Radio in Australia and New Zealand book has 2ZE was listed with the name F. J. F. Laker with the street being Harfleur Street and another entry exists in 1924; two other important figures associated with 2ZE were Lewis George Pimblett and W. Jewell.
Mr. Pimblett was the Manager of the Lyceum Theatre in the early 1920s, and he and W. Jewell moved on to Wagga to bring radio to that area.
Mr. Pimblett was not just a simple radio and cinema man; in fact he was a famous toy maker and inventor as Pittwater Online News wrote down in great detail.
Mr. Laker worked for Conargo Shire for 32 years when he resigned in 1938, he also was an assistant to Mr. Fagen in the P and A Society, Mr. Laker died on December 5, 1939.
2AK – Est. 1931
2AK was established in 1931 by K.J. Claffey who had prepared for radio broadcasts for several years at “Yarrandale” as part of the Riverina Radio Co.
Mr. Claffey Jr. passed his amateur wireless operator’s certificate examination conducted by the Post Master General’s Department in 1928.
A test transmission was carried out on March 8, 1931, and the broadcast could be picked up as far away as Toowoomba, Queensland which is 1,313km away from Deniliquin by car.
2AK operated from the G. Helsby Building and that building still stands today complete with the original G. Helsby markings at the top of the building and above the front door.
The station broadcasted on March 22, 1931, from 12:30pm to 2pm with music from 12:30pm to 1pm, Mr. Lawson from 1pm to 1:10pm, music until 1:35pm and Brenda Helsby gave a recitation from 1:25 to 1:30pm before music taken up the last thirty minutes.
Flying Officer Allen who was searching for Mr. Ekins whose plane went missing in June 1931 used 2AK to transmit messages regarding his search for the aviator, Mr. Ekins was found dead in the wreckage of his aircraft near Tallarook, Victoria.
K. J Claffey Jnr and J. Tasker advised the Deniliquin Hospital board details of an idea to transmit birthday greetings over the airwaves for 2/- each and that fee would be donated to the hospital.
The plan depended on their application for a ‘B’ class broadcasting license was granted and asked for the hospital board’s support for the license which was granted.
2AK continued to operate between 12:30pm and 2pm on 245 metres on Sundays into 1932 and Radio Weekly had 2AK listed into December 1935.
K. J. Claffey continued on selling wireless sets for years in Napier Street and held an amateur license for many years as the 1938 edition had VK 2AK in Amateur Stations.
2DN – 1932-1935
Before 2QN there was 2DN, J. E. Parris was the owner, it broadcasted every Sunday, and the place of broadcast was the R.S.S.I.L.A in End Street, John Taskers Garage (across the road from the R.S.S.I.L.A) was also listed as a broadcast location.
A wireless set that was set up in Mr Perrow’s service car picked up the radio station in 1933.
2DN was set up to broadcast at the Deniliquin Show in 1934 and 2DN was turned into 2QN in October 1935.
1521 2QN – Est. 1935
2QN started on October 27, 1935, the station was controlled by the Deniliquin Broadcasting Co. Ltd with the station having 50 watts of power.
Deniliquin Broadcasting Co. Ltd started with capital of 3000 pounds and their subscribers were G. P. Thornley, A. C. Fitznead, A. J. Entwisle, J. Tasker, A. A. Armstrong, C. Gove and W. K. Gemmell, each person had one share of the company.
Mr. P. A. Darbyshire resigned as the station manager in November 1935 not long after being appointed to the position.
The station was officially opened in November 1935 by Mr. Lawson.
The transmission tower in North Deniliquin stood at 208m and the station broadcasted on 1440 kilocycles with 200 watts of power, the station shared the frequency with 4IP in Ipswich, Queensland.
The station increased its wattage from 50 watts to 200 watts in September 1936.
2QN had a birthday party at the Lyceum Theatre in October 1936 with 600 members of the Cheerio Club in attendance.
The wedding of Sadie Pandell and John Panaretto was broadcast on 2QN in October 1936.
Juan Cortez after 18 months as chief announcer at the station moved to Western Australia in April 1937, Juan started his career in Melbourne in 1925.
The station had four announcers and mechanics when the station on the corner of Dick and Henry Street burned down on June 10, 1939, the station was back on the air by the 16th by using equipment borrowed from Swan Hill.
Broadcasts were then conducted from the School of Arts building after the fire.
Mr. J.R “Dick” Best replaced John Barnes as studio manager in February 1941, Mr Best was replaced in June that year by Mr. Laurie as Mr. Best went to station 3CV in Charlton.
The Deniliquin Young Farmers Club was formed in 2QN’s No. 2 studio in February 1941.
2QN Players Club was formed in February 1941 to “promote the interest of dramatic art, and particularly to produce one-act plays” that would play on the station.
It was announced in June 1941 that Mr. O’Halloran of Regent Pictures, Deniliquin was leased the radio station.
Deniliquin Broadcasting Co. sold 2QN to Regent Broadcasting Co. on August 21, 1941, with Frank O’Halloran as Principal.
Broadcasts were moved from the School of Arts building to Lyceum Hall when the ownership changed, the station hosted dances in its new building which was also broadcasted on air.
A captured Messerschmitt was displayed in the auditorium of 2QN’s studios in 1941.
A news article published on August 28 1941 stated that J.R Best was studio manager just two months after he left for Charlton.
Tom Waugh resigned as general manager of 2QN in November 1941, Mr. and Mrs. Waugh and their terrier Patches rode and trotted off to Newcastle, the trio had originally ridden to Deniliquin from Swan Hill.
There was a push in 1944 to move the station from Deniliquin to Wangaratta but it was unsuccessful in February 1945.
John Pierce was the station manager in 1946.
Mr. C. S. Faulkner was appointed manager of 2QN in June 1947.
News from the Riverine Herald were broadcast on the station every day except Sunday at 7:55 in the morning from 1948.
2QN moved into a new studio in 1949 and this new location had an auditorium, studios and offices.
‘Star Maker’ premiered on August 2, 1950, at 8pm, this show was hosted by Jack Davey and aired every Wednesday night.
The station’s wattage was increased from 200w to 2000w in 1952 and it moved from 1440 to 1520 on the dial.
‘Quiz Kids’ and ‘Caltex Theatre’ were added to 2QN’s programming on January 11, 1953.
Essendon Baseball Club in 1954 lost their reserve pitcher Rod McLeod as he had taken up a broadcasting position at 2QN.
Bert Day who was a racing announcer for 2QN left the station in 1954 to become assistant sporting commentator with station 3DB and worked with radio legends Bill Collins and Ron Casey.
2QN was sold to Riverina Broadcasting Company in June 1955, Mr. E. Roberts who was head of the company said that the company intended to use 2QN as a relay station for 2WG Wagga.
Sports announcer Bob Donovan’s car was stolen in 1956 but was later recovered.
Don Hyde resigned from 2QN in April 1957 and went to 3KZ in Melbourne, he commentated on Football and was also assistant manager of the station.
Paul Dix started working at 2QN in 1961 and stayed at the station until his death in 2013, his fifty-two-year stint at 2QN set a radio employment record that is unlikely to be broken on Australian radio.
Long running 2QN show ‘Football Prelude’ was described as ‘the greatest rubbish on the air’ and was considered to be ‘damaging to football’ in February 1962, ‘Football Prelude’ continued on the air for several years after these remarks.
2QN made arrangements to get news from 3AW, this arrangement started on July 1, 1962.
Murray Football League matches were covered by 2QN with teams announced every Thursday night’ ‘Football Prelude’ was on Friday nights and match of the day was at 2:30pm every Saturday.
Commentators for the MFL games included Alf Shaw and Bill Limbrick, Alf Shaw left 2QN in January 1965.
2QN listeners got to hear horse races from Sydney and Melbourne from June 4, 1966.
Football listeners in 1969 got ‘Instant Replay’, highlights of each quarter were played in the breaks.
The station frequency moved from 1520 to 1521 to become 1521 2QN.
Hugh McKenzie came to 2QN in 1977 after selling the station an advertisement and was offered an announcing job, he later moved on to stations like 2CN.
Don Hyde who was Echuca’s 2002 Australia Day Ambassador was a football commentator for the station in the 1950’s.
Rich Rivers Radio in 2017 sold the station to ACE Radio Broadcasters who now operate twenty-one stations.
Listeners can now listen to 2QN on the internet which includes listening from Google Home by saying “Hey Google, Play 2QN”.
2QN’s signal has been faintly picked up in Michigan, USA some 15,607km away from Deniliquin.
END FM
END FM broadcasts online from the old Conargo Shire Chambers which is now occupied by South West Arts after Conargo Shire and Deniliquin Council were forced into a merger.
The End FM is for the youth demographic.
On a historical note, The End FM broadcasts next to the site that 2QN broadcasted from for a couple of years.
Edge FM 102.5 – Est. 1994
Edge FM 102.5 started life in Deniliquin on April 16 1994 as Classic Rock 102.5.
After being known for almost a decade as Classic Rock 102.5, the station became FM 102.5 in 2013 and along with the name change came a programming change as Classic Rock was dropped for the Pop Music and Easy Listening genres.
On September 1 2015, the station was rebranded again to become 102.5 The Edge.
102.5 The Edge became Edge FM 102.5 in 2017 when ACE Radio Broadcasters acquired North East Broadcasters, the company that owned the station, the station offers Adult Contemporary music.
TribeFM
TribeFM was an online internet radio station that was based in Deniliquin for a couple of years with shows hosted by people across Australia.
Deni History 