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History

Central Victorian Gospel Radio was established on 23rd September 1983 and incorporated in 1986, running many successful test transmissions in its bid to gain a an ‘S’ (Special) Class license.

The first transmissions began from the channel 8 TV site on Mt Alexander in Harcourt. Training of presenters was conducted before the test transmissions began on the 3rd of December 1984. It was a challenging location, with fog, snow and ice being endured during some of those early broadcasts.

The only equipment CVGR owned was 1 small, donated mixer. The transmitter was on loan from Melbourne Christian Radio and all other equipment was borrowed from presenters and supporters. The studio, and a 2.5 ton transmitter with a 75ft tower, were transported to the top of Mt Alexander where they were assembled by a team of about twenty men and then disassembled and transported off site when transmissions were complete.

Test transmissions ran for 24hrs/day for a week at a time, with presenters broadcasting on 104.7 FM. Over time, the test programs were extended to up to periods of twelve months as the team worked to gain the permanent license.

As time progressed, more equipment was donated or purchased as support for the station increased. This included the purchase of a link transmitter, which enabled broadcasting from a studio in Harcourt that made the job much better and safer for presenters and the support teams.

On Wednesday the 20th of May 1998 a permanent site for the studio was obtained in the Harcourt Valley, just 6kms west of the original broadcasting site in the town of Harcourt.

Further advances were made with the introduction of automated play lists and used when presenters were unavailable. For a time, the transmitter was co-sited with 3CCC in their transmitting hut on Mt Alexander.

In 2010 CVGR decided to take up a community broadcasting radio license and launch a new look Christian radio station in early February 2011 broadcasting on the frequency 105.1 FM. This radio license would allow the station to broadcast the gospel to a listening audience of 100,000+ people in Bendigo and the nearby communities, with the capacity to stream over the internet and be accessible right around the globe.

In 2013 Mikey Dynon was appointed as the first General manger and in 2015 Gaelle Broad took over the reins, then to be succeeded by Peter Stanton.

The values of the station have remained the same throughout its history, to broadcast the plain and simple gospel message of the saving grace of Jesus Christ.