(Source ABC)


Rather than turkey and cranberry, it’s been a Christmas of trucks and cabling for technical staff at 612 ABC Brisbane, who’ve been moving the station from the Toowong site to temporary premises at ABC Coast FM at Mermaid Beach.


All staff at the ABC at Toowong are in the process of moving offsite, after an investigation into incidences of breast cancer among ABC staff found that there is a higher instance of breast cancer than normal at the Toowong site.


612 ABC Brisbane has temporarily moved to ABC Coast FM offices on the Gold Coast to maintain local summer programming – a move overseen by Local Radio Queensland Operations Coordinator (technical whiz), Robert ‘Aussie Bob’ Apolloni.


It’s been a big job for Aussie and other technical staff. “It’s a huge task to move not only staffing, but also the technical part of it – it’s a massive undertaking,” he confirms. “There’s a lot of things in a radio station that people don’t realise need to be moved, just so staff can operate equipment properly.


It’s a huge task to move not only staffing, but also the technical part of it – it’s a massive undertaking 


“The idea is that we want to move computers and phones, which is your basic equipment,” Aussie explains. “Then we’ll bring out the broadcast equipment, our editing system, our phone and computer networks, and then of course, our console, which allows us to use our microphones, our CD players and all the additional equipment we need to make a radio program.”


Queensland’s Local Radio Manager, Mike McGowan, is coordinating the entire radio division’s move from the Toowong site, and he agrees that the task is massive. “It’s absolutely huge,” he says. “We’re talking about all of radio: Radio National, Triple J, NewsRadio, Rural, Sport, as well as Local Radio. That whole operation exists on connectivity and electronic equipment and to move all of it essentially three times - which is what we’re looking at at the moment - is just a huge logistical job, and it’s not just radio, it’s the whole of the ABC here.”


So far, 612’s move to the Gold Coast has only involved the Summer Breakfast program: presenter Tony Johnston and producer Anne Debert. According to Anne, thanks to the oft-promoted ABC shopping bags, the move itself was stress free. “We’ve brought our little ABC shopping bags and we’ve got one bag full of prizes and I’ve got my contact book, got my tray, and the people here have been really lovely, really accommodating,” she smiles.


“A few little things behind the scenes haven’t been a smooth as we’re used to; for instance, in our production area, the producers [for 612 and ABC Coast FM] share a desk, so sometimes we hear their program, sometimes we hear our program, so sometimes it’s a bit of a battle of the tuners – and the volume knobs! But really it’s all working out very well – the coffee machine’s here and the fridge!”


I’ve got my contact book, got my tray, and the people here have been really lovely, really accommodating 


According to Aussie, nothing’s gone seriously wrong – yet. For Anne, the technical side of the operation has gone reasonably smoothly. “For me, the biggest technical hitch is printing things,” she admits with a wry smile.


“New year’s day, I couldn’t get anything to print, it was 3.30 or 4 in the morning. I felt like the person in the Castle when he was on the photocopy machine – there were a few expletives, but that’s really been the biggest hiccup. Our technical people have done a great job.”


An ABC Radio broadcast bus and a site hut have also been moved to the Gold Coast site to provide extra office space and recording facilities for other 612 staff as they return from holidays.


Producer Anne is steadily adjusting to the idea of leaving the Toowong site. “Initially, I was sad,” she reflects. “It was my 20th year at the end of last year, and so I was a bit sad about it, but that’s probably my personality – I find change a little bit difficult,” she laughs.


“I was sad as well because it meant we’ll be splitting up. I know we’ll all be together again one day… but now I’m loving being in this office and being one block from the beach. And parking! Parking is just a dream around here compared to Toowong.”


Anne’s not the only employee who’s feeling a bit reflective about her time in the Toowong office. “Those of us who have been at the site for a long time were probably hoping that, sometime over the next 4-5 years, we would relocate to a more modern facility,” comments Mike McGowan.


we’re looking at a number of university campuses and other properties that have been put before us as options 


“Unfortunately though, this move has kind of just descended upon us and a lot of employees who have been with us a long time are not leaving under their own terms; I guess that’s what it is… so there is a bit of an emotional attachment to the move in that sense, I suppose.”


612 has two more moves in the near future – one of which is very close to the current site. “We’ve got a property in Lissner Street in Toowong for the Radio Division and it’s a workable property in the sense of getting us and keeping us on the air, so we’re able to operate from there until a permanent home is found,” says Mike.


“In the meantime, the Gold Coast operation has a finite timeline – we need to wrap that up by the end of the month - and at this stage, we’re looking at a number of university campuses and other properties that have been put before us as options to move the radio division there while the Lissner Street property is being properly fitted out.”