Armed with greater resilience against lightning strikes – Wangki Radio’s recent upgrade is already making a measurable difference, enabling the station to continue serving its communities more reliably.
6FX Wangki Yupurnanupurru Radio (‘Wangki Radio’) is the only source of news, information and entertainment on radio daily across the Fitzroy Valley in the remote West Kimberley, WA. The station has recently reached a remarkable milestone of running 25 years – and in that time it’s also faced some of the most severe weather events across the country including the 2023 floods which devastated the remote town of Fitzroy Crossing and its surrounding regions.
‘Fitzroy experiences some of the most extreme and volatile weather conditions in the country and Wangki Radio is the only local broadcaster serving the region’ explains Station Manager Chris Tait. ‘We play a vital role in keeping our community informed, particularly during emergencies’.
With more frequent disruptions to its broadcast in recent years, it was time to review the station’s transmitters which were found to be vulnerable to damage from lightning and electrostatic activity – revealing the need to upgrade its earthing system to meet industry standards.
‘The primary beneficiaries of this project are the people of the Fitzroy Valley – many of whom live in remote communities with limited access to reliable communication infrastructure’ explains Chris who managed the project upgrade. ‘This reliability is critical for our listeners, especially during severe weather events when other services may be inaccessible.’
The successful earthing of the transmitter site has also laid foundations for other long-term benefits – helping the station meet eligibility for other funding avenues to secure a new transmitter. ‘We’re now in a strong position to secure the necessary equipment to further improve the consistency and quality of our broadcast’ shares Chris.
6FX Wangki Yupurnanupurru Aboriginal Corporation were the recipient of Community Broadcasting Foundation’s Development & Operations grant in Round 2 2024/25 for the purchase of earthing equipment.