The people of Cooktown finally have a radio station with a local focus. Black Star Cooktown 96.9 FM went to air on the 16^th of September.

The radio service brings the highest audio quality, with digital technology all the way in the chain from the hub in Cairns to the transmitter on Mount Tully, just outside Cooktown.

For the first time people will receive local weather, local community information, including up to date cyclone warnings and road conditions across the Cape. Glueing this all together is a great music mix, changing throughout the day to suit all interests.

The QRAM/Black Star Team received great assistance from the Cook Shire Council who provide the transmission site and facilities on Mount Tully, and were keen to improve the range of services available to all the community.

QRAM Board member Jim Remedio and CEO Gerry Pyne with Cook Shire’s John Habermann at the transmission site at Mount Tully

Black Star services use the latest technology including Wheatstone digital processing and the latest Nautel FM transmitter. A feature of this state of the art equipment is the ability to remotely monitor performance so that the service is reliably on air.

QRAM continues to make headway with its strategy to improve radio services in remote and regional Queensland

With the Cooktown launch, its Black Star network is now 15 stations across Cape York, Gulf of Carpentaria and Western Queensland.

QRAM continues to look at opportunities for indigenous people in regional Queensland, to grow their economy and job prospects in cutting edge digital media technology.

New services are in planning for Croydon in the Gulf region, Coen in the middle of Cape York, and Innisfail.  Each of these areas have large Aboriginal populations that have never been served by Indigenous radio services.

Click here to read more about the technology behind Black Star.

We’re on the air!