Rod Mclure & Gary Newton on The Dean Mackin Show - 11 July 2024

GUEST OVERVIEW: Rod McLure & Gary Newton met in 1979 when they found themselves working together at a radio station - 3GL - in Geelong-an hour’s drive southwest of Melbourne.

Rod was born and bred in Geelong and started work at 3GL in 1963 when he was just 16 years old. He more or less stumbled into radio when, during his interview with the station manager, he mentioned that his brother had been a journalist at the local newspaper. This prompted the manager to say, “Well, perhaps we can make a copywriter out of you.” Rod – at that time – didn’t know what a copywriter was or did but six pounds a week sounded pretty good and so began a career that would span the next 20 years … playing with words. Gary also had a little bit of good fortune that helped pry open the door into a lifetime in radio. As a youngster, he and a friend were having a tour of Melbourne radio station, 3AK. The on air announcer saw them looking through the window and Gary and his friend – due to a bit of a mix-up - found themselves in the studio getting a close-up chat with the announcer - Pete Smith – and his listeners. Pete took a liking to Gary and encouraged him to go to radio school.

Gary, like most young announcers at that time, did the rounds of country radio before landing a job in the big smoke, Melbourne. Then came the opportunity to make the move to Geelong - home as it turns out of Gary’s beloved football team, the Geelong Cats! For the next ten years, Rod McLure & Gary Newton worked with a marvelous band of characters who were part of what was an amazing 60 years in the life and times of Geelong radio station, 3GL.

Rod has also written a few one act plays and a little book of rhymes, while Gary – who developed polio as a young child - has devoted much of his time to helping eradicate this virus wherever and whenever it has appeared. Two things they have in common – a love of the mighty Cats footy team and a genuine appreciation of having worked at a radio station that for 60 years brought “a message of cheery hopefulness” to its many listeners … 3GL.