What’s New September 18, 2025
This week brings with it an interesting little piece of Australian radio history. It’s now 35 years since the launch of Coast Rock FM.
Serving the New South Wales Central Coast, Coast Rock FM was first broadcast from newly-built studios in Mann Street, Gosford.
The on-air line-up included Duncan Campbell, who would go on to become Chief Content Officer at ARN.
Start Me Up by The Rolling Stones was the very first song to go to air.
Mark Johnson was the station’s Music Director and Afternoon announcer
Johnson – now Content Director at ARN’s Hitz 939 and 4BU Bundaberg – says “I only stayed at Coast Rock FM about 12 months before moving to KZ FM in Melbourne where we launched Gold 104 – or Gold 104.3 as it’s called these days.”
“They were amazing, fun and crazy times in radio … mind you, I was only 25!”
Coast Rock FM operated from Gosford until it was sold and eventually rebranded.
In 1996, Coast Rock FM changed its name to Sea FM and today is known as SCA’s Hit101.3.