A year ago Jon Faine rang ABC Radio Melbourne Local Manager Mary-Jane Fenech to remind her of the upcoming 99th birthday of the station. He said to her:
“Go big next year, okay?”
Mary-Jane has, ably assisted by her on air and behind the scenes staff, past and present, particularly Jacinta Parsons and Brian Nankervis (pictured above). They will host the next Friday Revue on October 18 live from the Athenaeum Theatre with a host of musical guests and collected stories to celebrate.
ABC Radio Melbourne started life as 3LO, the city’s second licensed radio station after 3AR (which is now Radio National). The station commenced transmission on October 13, 1924 with musical performances played live at Her Majesty’s Theatre, including Dame Nellie Melba singing from La Bohème.
In the course of the year following her conversation with Jon, Mary-Jane, in planning for an unforgettable afternoon for Melburnians, had the stars align in many different ways. There will be a few nods to Dame Nellie Melba’s performance. She was our first internationally renowned musician and named herself after the city she so loved, after all. One was a listener ringing in to speak with Raf Epstein this week, saying her mum was there, playing the violin.
Another emerged from an ongoing segment called Unofficial History that Melbourne Drive presenter Ali Moore does. As it turns out the much loved venue The Athenaeum turns 100 this year too. Mary-Jane was listening as this information was shared with Ali and couldn’t wait to call the venue to see if birthday parties could align. Of course they could!
Mary-Jane has worked 16 years at ABC Radio Melbourne, starting as a producer for Jon Faine. On February 7, 2009 Black Saturday bushfires ravaged Victoria. People were calling Jon, stuck, literally asking him which direction they should turn their car. Faine said in a later Backstory interview:
“I have spoken to parents of people who died who said they were on phones till they cut out and they could hear me on the radio in the background and they said you know your voice might have been the last voice they heard. God, how does that make me feel?”
For Mary-Jane that early indelible experience is a reminder every day of the privilege of what she is a part of, and the role that the station plays as an emergency broadcaster, who impacts people’s lives, also creating positive change, including in the ongoing recovery efforts then, and after the Black Summer bushfires five years ago.
Also unforgettable was the pandemic and the extended lockdowns that Victoria endured.
Mary-Jane says often to her colleagues, old and new, that ‘talk back is the gold in your show’ and during that period the fear, loneliness, hope and frustration shared was everything that Mary-Jane so loves about radio as a medium. They were, and are, all in this together.
The live Friday Revue party of the century, hosted by Jacinta Parsons and Brian Nankervis, kicks off at 12.30pm sharp on Friday October 18.
There will be performances by Tina Arena, The Teskey Brothers, Deborah Cheetham Fraillon and Vika and Linda Bull. The current on air team of Sammy J, Raf and Ali will be there, and former presenters including Jon, Red Symons, Lindy Burns, Derek Guille, Virginia Trioli and a few more surprises too. When asked if they could attend all the above responded with ‘of course!’, it would otherwise be like missing a family gathering.
Mary-Jane said:
“For a century 774 ABC Radio Melbourne has been the voice for Victoria, covering every significant moment. Every day our loyal listeners let us into their lives and trust us with their stories. Friday 18 October will be a day for us all to get together, reminisce and celebrate such an amazing milestone.
Here’s to another 100 years!”
You can tune into festivities on October 18 via ABC Radio Melbourne or on the ABC listen app. Raf is still collecting stories and memories which you can share by contacting the show on 1300 222 774 from 8.30AM today Friday October 11 or via ABC Radio Melbourne Socials.