The story of Gem FM

Bowen Community Broadcasting Association was incorporated in 1998 following successful regular meetings of a skeleton crew of dedicated community members seeking the acquisition of a licence for a radio station located in Bowen. 

Pastor John Robertshaw (Dc.) and local computer whizz kid Robert Smart led the team to form a committee to aquire a licence for a broadcasting frequency in the community broadcasting spectrum. 

After a year of fund raising in the community, endorsements from business, and public organisations, an application for a broadcasting licence was placed in the Bowen Municipal Library for three months for public inspection. 

For the most of 1999, the very active committee under the guidance of Brian Winterburn (AOCP) interacted with the community at every level with fundraising activities. These included raffles, concerts performed by local musicians and developing a private and corporate membership base for a small fee. Applications were made to various grant organisation two of which were successful. 

In 2000 all equipment was purchased to establish the station. Graciously, the TAFE college offered a room for us to build a studio. Assistance was given by 4TTT’s legendary Alan Stevenson (AOCP) (Dc.)

Transmission is made at the TAFE studio via a stereo transmitter link to a receiver located at a high position on top of Reservoir Hill. It is then retransmitted in mixed polarity on the FM frequency of 95.1 FM Stereo. 

The name Gem Fm was agreed on at a business meeting citing the well know description of Bowen being the “Gem of the Coral Coast”.