On the airwaves
ABOVE: Canon David Garland was “on the air” as early as Monday, 9 August 1926, as this excerpt from “The Northern Star” (Lismore, New South Wales) of 7 August 1926 (page 9), reveals. Fr Garland had two hard acts to follow – Australia’s Governor-General, The Lord Stonehaven [ Sir John Lawrence Baird Stonehaven, the First Viscount Stonehaven, who was to officially open St Andrew’s Anglican Church at Lutwyche, Brisbane, later that same day ] – and Queensland Premier, Chief Secretary and Treasurer, William McCormack, the Member for Cairns. The broadcast took place from Albert Hall, located on the corner of Albert Street, between Ann and Turbot Streets, in downtown Brisbane, not very far from the Queensland Radio Service’s first home in the State Government Insurance Building, on the corner of Elizabeth and George Streets. The mentioned New Settlers’ League – another Garland initiative – was five years later devoting its energies to promoting “Soldier Settlement” schemes throughout the State.
ABOVE: Monday, 9 August 1926 – the first day of the 51st annual exhibition of the Queensland Royal National Association (better known as “The Ekka”) at Bowen Hills – was a red-letter day for pubic radio broadcasting in Queensland…the public was invited to come and observe how the fledgling Queensland Radio Service (broadcasting as 4QG) recorded studio segments “live” from Brisbane Exhibition Concert Hall. This excerpt appeared on page 3 of Brisbane’s afternoon daily newspaper,“The Telegraph”, opposite a lengthy report of all the first day’s happenings at The Ekka.
ABOVE: Canon Garland’s foray into radio broadcasting encompassed many “firsts” – among them may be counted a “live-to-air” cross to him performing a baptism service around the font in the 1888-built, timber and tin-roofed St Barnabas’ Church on Waterworks Road, Red Hill on Sunday, 6 January 1935, at 11am. This item appeared in “The Courier-Mail” on the previous day (page 4). The instance of a previous “live-to-air” baptism service “The Courier-Mail” reporter may have been alluding too was that performed at Hobart Baptist Church, Elizabeth Street, Hobart, Tasmania, on Sunday, 29 July 1934, by the legendary Pastor, Reverend Harold George Hackworthy, M.C., M.A., and broadcast on the local Radio 7ZL station. The advertisement below appeared on page 3 of Hobart’s “The Mercury” newspaper on Saturday, 28 July 1934.
