The Billabong Radio Network was the brainchild of Australian Greg Symes and British Born David Gardner way back in June 1999. Greg returned back home in 2000 and on setting up home in Kyabram, an opportunity came to run the 87.6 FM Frequency in Kyabram, which at that time was owned by the Chamber of Commerce which was only operated for only 2 weeks of the year at Christmas time.
Greg approached the Kyabram Chamber of Commerce with a proposal to run the station on a 24/7 basis and negotiated with the Chamber of Commerce to let Billabong Radio Network use their license, and to run the Radio Station on a professional basis from a one room studio in Kyabram, for and on the benefit of the local Kyabram community.
Greg Symes along with Norris Bell and (now retired from PCFM) Norris Bell were the first presenters to start off Power Country FM in Kyabram .
The first transmission of Power Country FM in Kyabram (Australia) began in July 2002 and is still operating 24/7 hours to this day. Shortly after the Kyabram station was established Greg applied for and was granted the 88.0 MHz license for Tatura about 25ks away, Power Country FM started transmitting via relay from Kyabram in Sept 2002. Power Country FM transmitted this way for the next 4 years.(Tatura was eventually exchanged for the Kerang license in 2010)
Soon after that the license for Tongala applied was granted . A small studio was then established at Tongala started and transmitting programs from there to the other stations in the Billabong Radio Network.
The main Power Country FM live program base comes from Kyabram, Tongala and Leitchville, and these programs are shared by all the individual PCFM stations at different times throughout the day when the relay stations are not on automation mode.
In February 2007 Greg decided to move to Leitchville to live and to try and expand the Billabong Radio Network, and proceeded to lodge an application for a radio station license in the Leitchville area, which would cover the towns of Gunbower, Leitchville, and Cohuna on the 88.0 MHz .frequency. PCFM Leitchville was now born and went to air May 2007.
Licenses for Barham 87.6 and Cohuna88.00 soon became the next target for the network with Cohuna and Barham coming on line in June 2008. In 2009 Lockington and Rochester came on line and they are all proving very successful.
PCFM Pyramid Hill applied for and was granted their license on the 88.00 MHz frequency in April 2008.
Greg approached the Kyabram Chamber of Commerce with a proposal to run the station on a 24/7 basis and negotiated with the Chamber of Commerce to let Billabong Radio Network use their license, and to run the Radio Station on a professional basis from a one room studio in Kyabram, for and on the benefit of the local Kyabram community.
Greg Symes along with Norris Bell and (now retired from PCFM) Norris Bell were the first presenters to start off Power Country FM in Kyabram .
The first transmission of Power Country FM in Kyabram (Australia) began in July 2002 and is still operating 24/7 hours to this day. Shortly after the Kyabram station was established Greg applied for and was granted the 88.0 MHz license for Tatura about 25ks away, Power Country FM started transmitting via relay from Kyabram in Sept 2002. Power Country FM transmitted this way for the next 4 years.(Tatura was eventually exchanged for the Kerang license in 2010)
Soon after that the license for Tongala applied was granted . A small studio was then established at Tongala started and transmitting programs from there to the other stations in the Billabong Radio Network.
The main Power Country FM live program base comes from Kyabram, Tongala and Leitchville, and these programs are shared by all the individual PCFM stations at different times throughout the day when the relay stations are not on automation mode.
In February 2007 Greg decided to move to Leitchville to live and to try and expand the Billabong Radio Network, and proceeded to lodge an application for a radio station license in the Leitchville area, which would cover the towns of Gunbower, Leitchville, and Cohuna on the 88.0 MHz .frequency. PCFM Leitchville was now born and went to air May 2007.
Licenses for Barham 87.6 and Cohuna88.00 soon became the next target for the network with Cohuna and Barham coming on line in June 2008. In 2009 Lockington and Rochester came on line and they are all proving very successful.
PCFM Pyramid Hill applied for and was granted their license on the 88.00 MHz frequency in April 2008.
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