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Queensland Country Hour

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Country Hour 80 years: Market reports 

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Annie Brown

Country Hour  Fruit and Veg Markets

Once upon a time, there were more markets. Listeners have been tuning in to hear the latest market reports on the Country Hour since it first went to air on ABC Radio on December 3, 1945. But did you know it wasn't always just cattle and sheep? 

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Explore what it takes to put food on plates around the world with our team of specialist reporters.

Country Hour 80 years: Life as rural reporter in the 1950s

These days, there are roughly 52 staff all over Australia working for ABC Rural. In the early days though, there were just a handful. Keith Topfer was one of them, based in Tasmania during the 1950s.

Country Hour 80 years:  Agricultural shows 

Broadcasting live from agricultural shows was an early innovation of the Country Hour. It first broadcast from the Royal Sydney in 1947 and from Melbourne and Brisbane the following year.

Country Hour 80 years: The Australian Wheat Board scandal 

What led to maybe the biggest change in the wheat industry over the past 80 years was the Australian Wheat Board oil-for-wheat scandal in the early 2000s.

Country Hour 80 years: The Blue Hills connection

We can't talk about the early years of the Country Hour without talking about Blue Hills — a radio serial that was broadcast during the Country Hour between 1949 and 1976.

Country Hour 80 years: Sheep cloning

In the year 2000, Australia saw it's first cloned merino ewe and dairy calf. The ewe was named Matilda and the calf was name Suzi and were used to research how to better improve livestock genetics. Research is still being done in this area today.

Country Hour 80 years: The women's session

For 14 years, the wonderful Lorna Byrne hosted a weekly segment of the Country Hour called the "Country Women's Sessions".

Country Hour 80 years: John Douglas 

If you have enjoyed listening to the Country Hour during your lunch break over the years, you have John Doulgas to thank. It was his idea.

Country Hour 80 years: Rabbit control

One of the first scoops for the ABC Rural department was in the 1950s, when the CSIRO introduced Myxomatosis to control the rabbit population.

Country Hour 80 years:  Wool crash

The 1970s were a turbulent time for Australian farmers, with many markets down, but for struggling wool growers, it was a time of change. In 1974, the much-debated wool floor price was introduced to smooth price fluctuations.

Once upon a time, there were more markets. 

Listeners have been tuning in to hear the latest market reports on the Country Hour since it first went to air on ABC Radio on December 3, 1945.

But did you know it wasn't always just cattle and sheep? There used to be a fruit and veggie market report as well?

In some states, there would even be an update from the fish markets and fresh-cut flowers.

Program: Country Hour 80 years: Market reports

Credits

Image Details

Appears In

Queensland Country Hour

Country Hour 80 years: Life as rural reporter in the 1950s

Country Hour 80 years: Agricultural shows

Country Hour 80 years: The Australian Wheat Board scandal

Country Hour 80 years: The Blue Hills connection

Country Hour 80 years: Sheep cloning

Country Hour 80 years: The women's session

Country Hour 80 years: Market reports

Country Hour 80 years: John Douglas

Country Hour 80 years: Rabbit control

Country Hour 80 years: Wool crash

Queensland Country Hour

Queensland Country Hour

Queensland Country Hour

Queensland Country Hour

Discover more podcasts

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Program: Country Hour 80 years: Market reports

Credits

Image Details

Appears In

Queensland Country Hour

10 itemsIn this episode

Country Hour 80 years: Life as rural reporter in the 1950s

Country Hour 80 years: Agricultural shows

Country Hour 80 years: The Australian Wheat Board scandal

Country Hour 80 years: The Blue Hills connection

Country Hour 80 years: Sheep cloning

Country Hour 80 years: The women's session

Country Hour 80 years: Market reports

Country Hour 80 years: John Douglas

Country Hour 80 years: Rabbit control

Country Hour 80 years: Wool crash

Discover more podcasts

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