Kiama Community Radio celebrated its third birthday with a grand party at the Kiama Leagues Club on Friday 25 August 2023 and it was a raging success.

More than 200 people turned up, (more than the tickets sold) with people paying at the door to get in because the entertainment alone was good enough to bring people through the door. Included in the lineup were Cha Cha Del Mar, Little Light Duo, Jessica Roemischer, The Splayds, Mark Holder-Keeping on saxophone, and the final act was the incomparable, glorious blues goddess that is Pearl Noire, who brought all the glamour of 1940s blues and jazz to Kiama in the 2020s. 

One of the highlights was The Sea Shanty Choir with a very special KCR Sea Shanty, and there was even an old fashioned conga line on the dance floor! Here you can hear the Sea Shanty https://youtu.be/wkQx9sTbHJ4?si=m9wmTw_myH5abAX_

The radio station KCR started after the Kiama Independent ceased publishing and COVID forced everyone in Kiama indoors. During that time, locals needed a way to seek out company during isolation and access information from the outside world.

The original core group was Karen Lang (now Kiama Councillor), Madeleine Scafe and Graeme Gherashe who put an ad in The Bugle in 2020 seeking people to come forward with their experiences and get involved in radio. Thus the snowball started that became the community radio avalanche, with the very first podcast by Gabi Cabral interviewing yours truly about Kiama local history.

Federal Member for Gilmore Fiona Phillips and NSW Member for Kiama Gareth Ward also attended, though sadly Kiama Mayor Neil Reilly was unable to. In fact, Mayor Reilly was part of the many podcasts produced by KCR, and his original old time radio show ‘Annie of the Airlines’ is well worth a listen. 

A number of silent auctions for various artworks and sports memorabilia were held featuring David Campese and even Australian beach volleyball teams. The night featured a raffle where many local businesses donated prizes, with around 25 prizes on the night.

KCR Secretary Madeleine Scarfe said “It was clearly a great success and I hope it leads to many more people getting involved.”

“I hope when our fourth birthday rolls around, I will hear people listening to local radio in the shops, and talking about what they are hearing on Kiama Community Radio.”

KCR Volunteer Coordinator Gabi Cabral said “ It was a great way to celebrate our success and it was great to see so many locals coming forward to contribute their free time and donations.”

“You could see very clearly how strong the Community is in Kiama Community Radio. I was quite touched by so many people coming forward to support, such as local media expert Peter Smith and the Kiama Chamber of Commerce and so many others.”

Gabi trained every podcaster and broadcaster who has produced content on KCR.

Further plans for KCR are to build a recording studio next to the current broadcasting studio inside the Kiama Chamber of Commerce building on Terralong street. Even an FM license and a local broadcast mast are part of the planning. Much thanks must be made to Bernie Hems and her hardworking crew for doing such a great job for putting together such a well polished and successful event.