Here’s your listening guide to Melbourne’s top 10 radio stations
When I was a kid, I never understood why the adults liked listening to the radio so much. For me, it was just an annoying buzz that came with our breakfast or snack time.
But as I grew older, I realized it wasn’t just background noise—it was company. It was there when I needed something to keep me awake during a long drive or when I needed a good playlist while cooking.
And over the years, I’ve almost memorized all the radio stations in Melbourne, and for the sake of this writing, I’ve made a list of my favorite ones.
1. ABC Radio Melbourne
Media credit: ABC Melbourne
Website: https://www.abc.net.au/Melbourne
Address: 120 Southbank Blvd, Southbank
Phone: +61395242222
Operating hours: 24 hours
If you want to stay plugged into what’s happening around Melbourne, just tune in to 774 AM and you’re all set. ABC Radio is all about the local affairs, news, community voices, and the like.
Some of the programming includes morning shows with news updates, panel discussions, and occasional events. On weekends and evenings, ABC Radio’s content eases more into music, arts, and documentary programs, which is a perfect pair if you’re in a relaxing mode.
Unlike other radio stations, ABC is publicly funded, so there are no ads in between programs, thus, no interrupted listening.
| Pro tip: If you switch to Digital Audio Broadcast (DAB+), you can get smoother and cleaner sound without any interference. |
2. PBS 106.7 FM
Media credit: PBS 106.7 FM
Website: https://www.pbsfm.org.au/
Address: Floor 0 Collingwood Yards, B1/35 Johnston St, Collingwood
Phone: +61384151067
Operating hours: Monday to Friday 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
If we talk about music, PBS is one of the best-loved community music stations in Melbourne. It’s not your typical music station that’s just all about pop music or whatever’s trending, but rather, it features songs across various genres and years.
It’s also the kind of station that serves as a platform for local and underground artists to showcase their work.
What many love about PBS is its sense of community. Since it’s volunteer-driven, many listeners become members, and the station frequently runs events like local gigs to help aspiring artists.
You can listen to PBS live via its website, app, and DAB+ radios. Also, many of their shows are archived, so you can easily look for them on their website in case you missed the live.
| Pro tip: Funny enough, PBS’s programs (or playlists) get progressively adventurous as we go deep into the night. So, if you’re a night owl and would love to test your music taste in the middle of the night, then go for it. |
3. 3AW
Media credit: 3AW Melbourne
Website: https://www.3aw.com.au/
Address: Media House, level 7, 655 Collins Street, Docklands
Phone: 03 9131 7000
Operating hours: Monday to Friday 7:00 am – 4:00 pm
3AW is definitely one of Melbourne’s strongest players when it comes to news, talkback, current affairs, and local content. Its programs are pretty structured, and it’s the ideal channel if you want to keep up with local politics, social debates, sports commentary, and more.
On weekdays, it starts with a breakfast show where they mix news, interviews, and listener interaction. Then it’s followed by late morning and afternoon blocks covering politics, lifestyle, and call-ins. At night, there are specialist programs and extended talks.
One of the most beloved programs is “The Rumor File” every morning at around 7 am. Listeners are encouraged to call in and share a piece of rumor or gossip. It’s completely anonymous, and prizes are often involved.
| Pro tip: Visit their website and check out their programs that provide prizes/rewards. It’s worth a try, especially if you’re an avid listener. |
4. SEN 1116
Media credit: SEN 1116
Website: https://www.sen.com.au/
Address: Kings Business Park, 111 Coventry St, Southbank
Phone:
- On-air: +61394291116
- Reception: +61 3 7035 3400
Operating hours: 24 hours
In general, Melbourne is a sport-obsessed city, so it has a dedicated radio station for that. SEN’s programs revolve around sports, doing talk shows, live commentaries, analysis, and interviews with athletes and coaches.
SEN covers AFL, A-League, International Cricket, NBL, horse racing, and other major sports events in Australia. SEN has its fair share of recurring programs and segments, but the schedules and line-ups adapt accordingly since the sports season varies.
One long-standing segment of SEN is the “SEN Breakfast,” where the hosts exchange analysis and opinions covering the biggest and latest topics in Australian sports.
If you go online, SEN provides audio streaming via its website, and many of its talk shows are available as podcasts or highlight clips. So, even if you miss the live, you’ll still be able to catch up later.
| Pro tip: During the game season, SEN often airs pre-match lines and commentaries that aren’t carried by TV. |
5. KIIS 101.1
Media credit: KIIS 101.1 Melbourne
Website: https://www.kiis1011.com.au/
Address: Level 2/21-31 Goodwood St, Richmond
Phone: +61394201011
Operating hours: Monday to Sunday 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
If you like keeping up with the latest hits and current charting songs in high-energy programming, KIIS FM is your go-to. This station specializes in mainstream content, usually airing programs about celebrity scoops, big-name entertainment, and chart-topping hits.
Their most popular program is “The Kylie & Jackie O Show,” featuring celebrity interviews, stunts, and gossip.
And if you love listening to pop culture and life advice, “The Pick-Up” segment every 4 pm is also a favorite among listeners.
You can listen to KIIS FM via the iHeart app or its website, and many segments are available as podcasts as well.
| Pro tip: If you hear a new song you like, you can visit the KIIS website soon after. They usually post tracklists or recently played playlists, so you can identify and save the song. |
6. Gold 104.3
Media credit: Gold 104.3
Website: http://www.gold1043.com.au/
Address: 2/21-31 Goodwood St, Richmond
Phone: +61394141043
Operating hours: Monday to Friday 6:30 am – 6:00 pm
Gold 104.3 is another commercial radio station in Melbourne, broadcasting a mix of adult contemporary and golden hits, meaning hit songs from the past decades, as well as some popular hits.
The playlists usually contain tracks from the 80s to the early 2000s, catering to a wide audience. You’ll usually hear this station commonly played in public places, such as shops and cafés.
Gold is perfect if you’re looking for a “companion” to passively go along with your business/tasks for the day. It’s familiar, listenable, and doesn’t demand your full attention.
| Pro tip: Join their Gold Club to get VIP passes to major competitions and other secret contests that they don’t air on the radio. You’ll also get better chances to secure tickets to various concerts and blockbusters. |
7. Joy 94.9
Media credit: JOY media
Website: https://joy.org.au
Address: Victorian Pride Centre, level 1, 79-81 Fitzroy St., St Kilda
Phone: +61 3 9267 6000
Operating hours: 24 hours
Joy 94.9 is Melbourne’s and Australia’s only dedicated LGBTQIA+ community. The station‘s only mission is to celebrate and provide a platform for queer voices, stories, and culture.
The programming gives air time to topics of interest to this community, including music, arts and culture, activism, and more that you can listen to live on the radio, the Joy website, or app.
Although they do operate with lower power than bigger stations, the FM signal may be weaker in outer suburbs, but online streaming fills in the gaps.
If you’re all about inclusivity and would love to stay connected to the queer community in Melbourne, Joy is your one and only bet.
| Pro tip: If you’ve got your own song you want to put out there, you can actually submit it to Joy’s music team, and if they approve it, it’ll be part of their playlist that they air regularly! |
8. Triple R 102.7 FM
Media credit: Triple R 102.7 FM
Website: https://www.rrr.org.au/
Address: 221 Nicholson St, Brunswick East
Phone: +61393881027
Operating hours: Monday to Friday 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Triple R station is a local favorite. As an independent station, it’s known for its music diversity and curated shows that do not chase ratings but showcase unsung talents.
The station focuses on giving a platform to alternative music, local artists, and cultural programming that aren’t typically found on mainstream media. Because of this, Triple R is known for helping artists gain exposure, and many new artists look forward to being featured on the program.
Its schedule is broad and varied: on some days, you might hear a whole music set from a local band, and sometimes, spoken word or poetry programs.
| Pro tip: Tune in overnight or after hours. That’s when Triple R becomes less constrained with their music and programs. |
9. SYN FM
Media credit: SYN FM
Website: http://www.syn.org.au/
Address: Floor 3, RMIT University, Building 12, RMIT, Level 3, Room/97/402 Swanston St
Phone: +61396392849
Operating hours: Monday to Sunday 10:00 am – 3:00 pm
SYN presents a more dynamic and fresher voice in Melbourne. As a youth and student-driven radio station, young volunteers produce and present the shows that offer a more youthful perspective to the listeners.
Topics/programs revolve around youth culture, mental health, emerging artists, and current issues related to the youngsters.
Their programs are both fun and enlightening to follow through, because listeners get a glimpse of the younger generation’s insights, interests, and creativity.
SYN also partly serves as a training ground, especially for those who aspire to media-related careers.
| Pro tip: New and fresh programs are to be expected at the end of every semester, because it’s when the young volunteers have the time to create brand-new concepts or experimental programs. |
10. RSN 927
Media credit: RSN Racing & Sport
Website: https://www.rsn.net.au/
Address: Floor 0, The University of Melbourne, 400 Epsom Rd, Flemington
Phone: +61393478111
Operating hours: Monday to Sunday 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
If you’re a fan of racing (horse, greyhound, and harness) and sports, RSN 927 is the channel for you. Listeners can tune in on the radio and also via DAB+.
On race day, the channel is booming with live commentaries, interviews, and betting market updates. During non-race days, the channel still carries on with sports talk, expert interviews, and some market insight.
Racing is another industry in Victoria with a big fanbase, so RSN keeps up by providing accurate odds, fast updates, and live race calls.
| Pro tip: If you want additional racing and sports coverage, tune in to RSN Extra. It’s RSN’s companion digital radio, providing extended coverage that would not be broadcast on the main channel. |