Connecting communities in emergencies

April 26, 2021
3MCR members standing in front of their mobile studio at the Mansfield Show

For those living in the Victorian high country around Mansfield, lightning strikes in tinder-dry bush at the height of an Australian summer is a natural event that can have catastrophic consequences. This is why it’s so important to have people on the ground who can keep the local community informed in
emergencies.

Since 2011, 3MCR in Mansfield have been the accredited emergency broadcaster for the region providing critical emergency information to their community during floods, storms and bushfires. More recently, they have played a pivotal role keeping people informed and connected during the Covid-19 crisis by broadcasting local meetings and other community events.

Yet, until new transmission equipment was installed with CBF support, station broadcasts were unable to reach the most remote mountain communities in the southern part of the Mansfield Shire due to a weak or non-existent signal. Now these communities are getting important information that could save lives, and are also connected to others across the region through the music, interviews and events broadcast on 3MCR.

“We’ve had great feedback from these communities, and as emergency broadcasters it’s vital that we’re able to reach everyone in our community, no matter where they live.”  – John Coffey, 3MCR

Support for 3MCR was funded through a CBF Development & Operations grant in 2019. We run two grant rounds each year, usually in January and July. You can check when our next grant round is open on the key dates page.

Subscribe to our enewsletter, Broadcast, and follow us on Facebook to hear the latest updates about our grants.

Photo: (L-R) Dallas Daniels, Roger Nolan, Paul Duncan and President John Coffey from 3MCR at the Mansfield Show.