ABC Upper Hunter
| Company type | Public broadcaster |
|---|---|
| Industry | Radio broadcasting |
| Founded | 1964 |
| Headquarters | Muswellbrook , Australia |
Area served | Upper Hunter region, New South Wales, Australia |
| Products | Radio broadcasting |
| Website | www |
ABC Upper Hunter (call sign: 2UH) is an Australian radio station catering to the Upper Hunter area, including Muswellbrook, and operates as part of the ABC Local Radio network.
History
The station commenced operations in 1964, initially functioning as a local relay for Newcastle's 2NC (currently known as ABC Newcastle), with minimal local programming provided by a reporter stationed in Newcastle. In 1990, ABC opened a dedicated office in Market Lane, Muswellbrook, to strengthen regional content delivery. Mike Pritchard, previously affiliated with the Scone Advocate, joined as a rural reporter and continued until his retirement in 2021, often serving as the station’s only regional staff member. The studios moved to their present location on Brook Street in 1997.
During 2009, ABC Upper Hunter temporarily suspended local broadcasts while upgrading its digital studio facilities. Throughout this upgrade phase, rural programming was supplied by ABC New England North West, and news along with other shows were relayed from ABC Newcastle. Local transmission fully resumed midway through the year following the completion of the upgrade.
Frequencies
Broadcasting across four transmitter sites within the Upper Hunter region, ABC Upper Hunter transmits on both AM and FM bands.
The main AM transmission (2UH) is broadcast at 1044 kHz from Sandy Creek Road near Muswellbrook, covering most of the surrounding area.
FM transmissions operate under callsign 2HVR at three separate locations:
| FM Frequency | Transmitter Site | Coverage Area |
|---|---|---|
| 105.7 MHz | Rossgole Lookout, Aberdeen | Muswellbrook, Scone, Aberdeen, Singleton |
| 101.9 MHz | Banderra Downs, Merriwa | Merriwa |
| 96.9 MHz | Mt Helen, Murrurundi | Murrurundi |
Programming
Weekdays begin with a breakfast show airing from 6:30 am to 8:00 am that includes local news updates at 6:30 am and 7:30 am, complemented by news coverage from ABC Newcastle until 9 am.
The rural reporter collaborates in producing the daily Upper Hunter New England North West Rural Report alongside ABC New England North West, broadcast on weekdays from 6:15 am to 6:30 am.
While the station carries ABC Newcastle’s Mornings and Drive programs, it diverges at midday to present The Country Hour, followed by a delayed one-hour airing of The World Today at 1:00 pm.
In mid-2009, ABC Upper Hunter launched an hour-long program titled Upper Hunter Weekend, hosted by Silas Moss and Niav Owens, which highlighted upcoming regional events. Currently, Saturday mornings feature ABC Newcastle's Craig Hamilton hosting Saturday Breakfast from 6 am until noon.
Since 2021, listeners have had access to streaming content through podcasts available on the station’s website.
Occasionally, the Radio National show Late Night Live is broadcast from these studios due to connections with presenter Phillip Adams and his partner Patrice Newell, who manage a nearby organic farm.
On-Air Staff
- Amelia Bernasconi – serves as Hunter Rural Reporter and presents Upper Hunter Breakfast.
Former Staff
- Mike Pritchard – provided Hunter Rural and Resources Reports and hosted breakfast programs from 1990 until June 2021.
See also
Sources
- ABC Upper Hunter
- ACMA technical publications