Mariam Nabizada
Newsletter August 2026
Editor There are several updates and reminders to share.
dress some ongoing issues that are being experienced.
Volunteer Briefings
This will also be an opportunity for asking questions and allow us to catch up with each other over coffee and afternoon tea.
We will be holding two separate briefings that all our volunteers need to attend. To try to minimise the impact, we have decided to put the two briefings together and offer two separate days for attendance. The briefings are for the following:
Building Security Fobs As part of the recent security grant that 102.7 FM received, we are changing our entry and exit procedures to the building to using individual security fob swipes. The key code at the door will no longer work once we commence this process. The fobs need to be assigned, and a conditions and acceptance form will need to be signed. In addition, we will also provide a hands-on briefing on how to use the fobs and explain what will trigger the new alarm system. This will mean that entering and exiting the building without following the correct procedure will set off the alarms. Please note that only announcers and volunteers who are regularly at the station will be issued with a security fob (there will be no exceptions to this).
Leanne will send out a more detailed email with an agenda for the afternoon and RSVP to choose your day the week prior. The two sessions to give a choice for attendance are: • Saturday 29 August from noon to 5pm • Sunday 30 August from noon to 5pm
Chief Engineer On behalf of the committee, I am happy to advise that Andrew Chapman has been appointed as our Chief Engineer. A role description outlining the requirements for the role was approved by the Executive. Andrew provided his resume to the committee and due to his extensive experience, history with and commitment to this station, he was unanimously appointed directly to the role.
Hands-on Training in Studio Andrew requires all announcers to attend one of the group sessions he will be holding at the station. The intent is to refresh some basic processes that are being missed and ad-
Steven Paull JP (Qual) President
Front Page Mariam Nabizada We are very proud here at 102.7 FM to have Mariam as one of our announcers and to feature on the cover of our August edition of LiveWire Newsletter. A Year 12 student at Fairholme, Mariam Nabizada, is a young woman whose leadership, compassion and commitment to advocacy are already creating meaningful change. In recognition of her outstanding contribution to the community, Mariam Nabizada was named the 2026 Toowoomba Young Citizen of the Year, an honour presented at the Australia Day Awards ceremony held at Picnic Point. This award acknowledges Mariam’s tireless advocacy for young people, her leadership with Toowoomba Regional Council, and her work co-founding the Maryam Foundation, an organisation dedicated to supporting vulnerable families and refugee communities. It is recognition not just for one achievement, but of a wideranging commitment to empowering others and using her voice to drive positive change. Among Mariam’s many recent accomplishments is her selection as the Queensland winner of the Country to Canberra Leadership Competition at the end of 2025. As the state winner, Mariam travelled to Canberra to participate in a highly regarded leadership workshop and networking program de-
signed to develop the next generation of leaders. ‘I entered to amplify the voices of regional and multicultural young women. As a youth advocate from Toowoomba, I’m passionate about using leadership to create change. This program provided a chance to connect, grow, and bring new perspectives back to my community.’ Mariam currently serves as a youth leader with Toowoomba Regional Council and is a YMCA Queensland Youth Parliament member for Toowoomba North, where she advocates for issues affecting young people and contributes to discussions around policy and social change.
Profile John Callaghan John Callaghan began his radio career in 1985 at the 102.7 studios located at Southern Queensland University. He trained under Bill Hazel, playing bluegrass music, which wasn’t his preferred genre. All broadcasting was done using vinyl records on two turntables, as CDs were not yet common. He notes the skill required for this, where experienced announcers could cue records blindfolded, a stark contrast to the ease of modern digital systems. The university studio presented logistical challenges. It was located far from the main security-controlled door. To get in, one had to carry all their music, press an outside doorbell, and wait for either security or the on-air announcer to interrupt their program to grant access. This made the process of starting a show quite cumbersome. A significant part of John’s career involved a Saturday evening show called “Revive Forty Fives” with Jeffrey Black, which catered to his love for music from the 1950s, 60s, and 70s. This evolved into his current program, “Sunday Jukebox,” which fills a market need as no other station was playing that era of music. A major highlight was the recent donation day for 102.7. The response during his “Sunday Jukebox” show was “staggering.” He received a significant number of donations in just four hours, including a notable £100 donation from
a regular listener in the UK, which underscored the program’s reach and listener loyalty.
Among his great memories is an off-air interview with Gerry Marsden of Gerry and the Pacemakers, which he conducted with Jeff Black in the lounge at the back of the Empire Theatre before a show. This highlights the unique experiences and access provided by his role in radio. John expresses immense appreciation for the current brand-new, fully digital studios. He feels they are very lucky to have such advanced facilities. He praises the modern equipment and the support from colleagues like Andrew, Brandon, and Leroy, which makes producing a show very easy and enjoyable compared to the old days.
Profile Governance Manager The Executive discussed and approved a role for a Governance Manager. In short, this role will ensure that 102.7 FM operates with transparent and compliant governance in line with Community Radio Broadcasting Codes of Practice, ACMA regulations our organisational policies and our strategic plan. The Governance Manager will be responsible for writing (when required) maintaining, updating, and reviewing all 102.7 FM policies and procedures.
“ The Australian Radio Remembrance Project
If you would like more information on the details of this role and how to apply, please speak with Leanne. Expressions of interest for this role will close on 1st September 2026.
NGO Training A reminder that all training courses sent out via our online portal NGO need to be completed. While the first 3 (Codes of Practice, Child Safe Organisations and Strategic Plan) were mandatory prior to commencing with the new system, all remaining policies are also mandatory.
Memories... Looking Back to Where it all Began My name is Scott Storor, and I currently host the Friday Breakfast Show on 102.7 FM from 6 am to 9 am. The images accompanying this story show an AWA broadcast studio mixer, or console, like the one Tony Wigan and I used to put programs to air at Radio 4LG in Longreach in 1976, 50 years ago. That console was part of our everyday working lives, along with the turntables and tape machines we relied on to inform and entertain our listeners. Looking at it now, I’m reminded of just how far broadcasting technology has come. Indeed, I still marvel at broadcasting remotely on 102.7 FM from my living room in Coomera Waters! Today, we sit in front of computer screens and digital mixing consoles, but it’s important to remember the equipment that helped shape the industry and our early careers. For me, though, this mixer represents far more than a piece of old broadcasting equipment. It brings back memories of the laughter, the experiences and the special moments Tony and I shared as two young blokes trying to find our way into radio. We were surrounded by some of the warmest and most genuine people, and those early years gave me friendships
and memories I still treasure.
Fifty years later, I continue to value the friendship Tony and I formed and the journey we shared. Looking back on those days fills me with gratitude and still brings me great happiness. The vast area of Queensland, extending between Quilpie and Normanton and from Springsure to Camooweal is covered by the Central Queensland station, 4LG, which radiates a programme from Longreach, the geographical centre of the State. The towns of Blackall, Barcaldine, Windorah, Winton, Aramac, Tambo, Richmond, Hughenden, Cloncurry, Mt. Isa, Burketown, Charters Towers, Clermont and Jundah are all in the 4LG range. 4LG station is owned by the Longreach Printing Co. Ltd., proprietors of the “Longreach Leader” and is on the air for 10 hours a day (7.30 a.m. – 1.30 p.m.) (6 p.m. – 10 p.m.). The frequency is 1100 KC, wavelength 273 metres. The Voice of the Central West broadcasts from a new modern studio in the centre of Longreach – the transmitter is three miles out of town. The A.C. power used is generated at the transmitter by a diesel-driven alternator. 4LG is conscious of its unique position. Its aim is to give the best possible service to the listeners who look to it for the best in radio entertainment and broadcast service. It is doing a big job well.
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Training Latest Training Modules
102.7 FM has adopted a Risk management approach to workplace health and safety. It involves identifying hazardous situations in the work environment and assessing the associated Risks. All members have an obligation to guard against or protect others from any Hazards or incidents as soon as they are recognised. Community radio stations have unique risks due to live broadcasting, volunteers, ageing infrastructure and community access.
This Disaster Management Plan provides details on how 102.7 FM will prepare and respond to disasters and emergencies. This is within consideration of effective planning processes to prepare, prevent, manage and respond to emergency and disaster situations whilst mitigating risks to and ensuring continuity of supports that are critical to the health, safety and wellbeing of members. At 102.7 FM, we emphasize that no asset or material is worth more than a person’s life and ensure yourself and everyone around you is safe.
102.7 FM is your community station dedicated to high-quality radio programming for Toowoomba, the Darling Downs and the Lockyer Valley. We've got you covered with the widest music variety on the Downs and programs to inform and engage our community. We love our listeners and our community.
Address: 1 Schofield Street Toowoomba Postal Address: PO Box 400 Toowoomba