The volunteers' dedication at Triple H radio has kept the community connected amid the tumult of the pandemic.
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Acting on the advice of a friend, Heather Farrell made her debut on the radio.
It all started in 2005 when Ms Farrell got a job as the chairperson for softball Victoria's state championships.
"I had to MC four state championships a year. I turned beetroot red and shivered and shook whenever I was in front of a microphone," she said.
A friend suggested that she try radio - because "you talk into a microphone and no one is watching you".
Ms Farrell hosts the show Scintillating Sounds on Tuesday mornings, among 20 other volunteer presenters for the station.
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She plays a mix of genres, often outside of her interests.
"Scintillating Sounds is hard to categorise. Kate Cebrano, Mark Knopfler, Eric Clapton - throw in the odd Deborah Conway and things like that. Adult contemporary with a bit of a rock bend," she said.
Ms Farrell has a comprehensive collection of music on her iTunes, and through her late husband, has expanded her repertoire into country and blues.
"Some people have cigarette habits, I have a music habit," she said.
Aside from hosting Scintillating Sounds, Ms Farrell is the station's secretary, a job that involves organising sausage sizzles, handling finances, and submitting funding applications to the government.
Ms Farrell said she finds volunteering at the station gratifying.
"I get satisfaction from knowing that you have helped people get through the day," she said.
Fellow presenter Susan Thorogood agreed. Ms Thorogood hosts a program on Friday afternoons, but unlike Ms Farrell opts to use CDs, of which she has many.
She said presenting on Triple H grew her confidence.
"The thrill I receive when presenting my music to air and the happiness of many listeners who enjoyed my shows, amazing," she said.
"Hopefully I have many more years of spreading happiness. I love it."
Triple H community radio stayed on the air through the coronavirus pandemic, with Ms Farrell implementing strict COVID-safe procedures for all volunteer presenters.
"We put in some protocols as far as hand washing as you arrive. Out in the hallway, we have a pair of microfibre cloths," she said.
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"We couldn't buy proper microphone socks, so we used pantyhose socks.
"Everybody when they come in they grab a microfibre cloth and wipe and clean all the touch surfaces."
After an upgrade to their facilities, the station could automatically play music. This allowed presenters to leave a 30-minute gap between shows to reduce the chance of cross-contamination.
Ms Farrell said she received many thanks from community members who regularly listen to her program.
"A lot of our listeners are elderly and a lot of them were too scared to walk out the door," she said.
"Come march last year here they were, bought up all the toilet paper, flour, and milk and are sitting in a two-bedroom unit, 'I can't go out because I will catch this thing and die'.
"We had so many people thank us for staying on the air. We stayed on throughout."
Anyone interested in becoming a presenter can get in touch with Ms Farrell on 0407 340 496.
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