Noosa’s popular radio station and community organisation is looking for expressions of interest from locals to volunteer in different parts of the station.
Noosa FM’s president Sibylle Reisch said they are looking for people of all ages.
“We are looking for new blood to join our colourful team of presenters, some of whom have been with the station since day one in 1995,“ she said.
“The first skillset we are looking for in our radio presenters is to have interest and joy in music. We are looking for all genres of music with vacancies for country music, classic rock and classic music.“
Presenters are able to select their own choice of music and create their own programs.
“This is quite unique with Noosa FM and we find this reflects the wide variety of people of our community and develops talents and creativity,“ Sibylle said.
“Many of our wonderful listeners listen to us all day and we get many comments about how smitten our listenership is with the variety of presenters and their music choice.
“Mind you, some say they wait all week for their most favourite program to come on air.“
Sibylle said the team trained new volunteers over a few months.
“You will get to know your way around the station, our studios and equipment, and you will meet lots of different people and the thing that connects us all is music.”
Sibylle came to Noosa over 22 years ago when she set up a company and air charter business with her partner, Noosa Aviation.
When the Noosa airfield closed for commercial usage, they moved the business to the Sunshine Coast Airport and renamed it Sunshine Aviation.
“We operated the business successfully for over 12 years and flew 1000s of tourists and local people to Fraser Island, to Hervey Bay, Brisbane and the Gold Coast, and on local scenic flight tours, on outback tours from the Sunny Coast to Birdsville, Lake Eyre, Coober Pedy and to Uluru.
“I designed a tour and named it pretty woman tour after that movie and thought it would mostly be booked by men to impress their female partners.
“Later, I had to laugh at myself over this assumption because the tour was booked to 85 per cent by women who wanted to give something really special to their beloved man.“
Sibylle won a scholarship from the Women Pilots Association to advance her commercial piloting career and to train for regular public transport – in short, to pilot jets.
“It was time to sell the business and a family from WA bought it and their son, who was a pilot and ran the business for two years until he was too homesick and took it with him back to WA,“ she said.
“I became an airline pilot qualified and then decided to go for my dream to become a flight instructor. Again, lots of months of study and training and travelling back and forth to Archerfield.“
Now, the industry has suffered greatly due to Covid and the cancellations of flights and airlines are struggling to stay in business.
Sibylle said she was very lucky to find such a wonderful workplace with Noosa FM radio.
“I have always loved radio and music has been with me all my life,“ she said.
“I am not a musician. I call myself a music consumer. I love technical things that’s why I look after the radio’s technical side, and I take great pride in getting things worked out.
“My great pleasure is training people and observing their positive change when they come to the radio.
“It is certainly not for everybody, but you can give it a go and experience what it is like to entertain and be behind the microphone and live on air.“
Noosa FM offers many other areas of volunteering; admin, production, sponsorship, marketing, and event activities like outside broadcasts.
“Remember, we will train you in all roles, if you have some computer skills that certainly helps,“ Sibylle said.
“We welcome you to put your expression of interest forward together with an application for membership.
“You can find all forms online on noosafm.org and you are welcome to come into reception and pick up a hard copy if that is easier for you.“
Noosa FM is in The J building at the Noosa Junction and entertains at all hours live on FM 101.3 or on their streamer via the website.
Sibylle has two Noosa FM programs at present.
“My Pet Purri program on Wednesday afternoons and is dedicated to pets and wildlife and Thursday mornings I mix music with science and environmental matters from all over Australia,“ she said.
“Do I still fly? Yes, of course, whenever possible and whenever there is an opportunity to take someone to the sky.
“A big thank you to all our listeners, members, volunteers, sponsors and community subscribers and the Noosa Council for supporting our work.“
For more information visit noosafm.org or call 5447 2233.
