Caroline celebrates 20 years at Mix FM
Home »
Caroline celebrates 20 years at Mix FM
Is it just me or does everyone think it is dangerous to blink?
Today I am celebrating 20 years on the Sunshine Coast, in the same job.
We arrived on the coast around 8am one Thursday in May 1998, after driving overnight from Sydney, chasing our removal truck.
We only just made it because one-year-old Jemima Belle was slowing us down, she vomited from Gosford to the Gateway Bridge, poor bubba. We arrive at our new home exhausted, stressed and covered in vomit.
John and I did not know a soul on the coast, the first person I spoke to was the receptionist at Eckersley Medical Centre and the first person I met was Dr Trevor Beale who held my baby gently and welcomed me to the Sunshine Coast.
And that’s how it’s been ever since. The Coast raised my kids. Neighbours, friends, teachers workmates and the ladies who stopped us at Coles to ask, ‘Is your mummy on the radio?’ people have been nothing but kind.
The Coast probably raised me too. I had my 30th birthday at Mix FM. In the 20 years to follow you’ve watched me try lots of things. I’ve written a book that didn’t sell, made a tv show that didn’t rate and was beaten by Peter Slipper in an election.
I can’t tell you quantifiable successes to be honest except for Mix FM’s Give Me Five for Kids, I am a big part of that and we are all very proud of it.
I started on the air with a bloke called Peter Lang. Pete was a coast institution. In the early days he shielded me from the calls about how terrible his new co-host was and eventually taught me to make proper breakfast radio. Pete and I were on air with Justin Veivers, who reminded me every day that nobody dies making radio, it’s supposed to be fun. He also taught me to ask for more money.
15 years ago, I started working with a bloke called Mark Darin. The first thing I liked about him was how tall he is. No more standing on phone books for promo shots.
Mark and I have grown up together too. Over 15 years our show has changed a thousand times. Sometimes we are serious, sometimes we are caring and sometimes we are probably only amusing ourselves, but I love him, and I still love coming to work every day.
People always talk about how much the coast has changed since the 90’s and it really has but the best things have stayed the same. People still talk to me in Coles, they press money into my hands in June and always ask about those grown up kids of mine.
Mix FM is my home, both she and I owe everything to the Sunshine Coast.
Caroline xxx
