About 4RED 99.7 FM Bridge FM

4RED 99.7 FM Bridge FM

Overview

99.7 Bridge FM, broadcasting under the call sign 4RED on 99.7 MHz FM, is a community radio station based at Redcliffe, on the Moreton Bay peninsula north of Brisbane, Queensland. The station serves Brisbane's greater north and the City of Moreton Bay within the Redcliffe RA1 licence area, and it is one of Queensland's longest-running community broadcasters, having first gone to air on 21 February 1992.

Bridge FM's format is classic rock and album-oriented rock, delivered under the slogan "Great Rock Variety", mixed with local news, interviews, community information and talk programming. The station broadcasts from purpose-built studios in Anzac Avenue, Redcliffe, with its transmitter located at the water tower in the neighbouring suburb of Margate. It transmits with an effective radiated power of 1,000 watts.

The station is run entirely by volunteers and operates as a not-for-profit community broadcaster. Since 1992, hundreds of volunteers have contributed to its growth, and the station positions itself as a platform for the local community: sharing local events, delivering emergency updates, and offering training and airtime to aspiring broadcasters, some of whom have gone on to successful careers in commercial radio.

History

99.7 Bridge FM commenced broadcasting on 21 February 1992, making it an early participant in Australia's community broadcasting sector, which had only been formally established less than two decades earlier. The station, also known for many years as "99 Seven", developed around its Redcliffe base, building purpose-built studios in Anzac Avenue to serve the Redcliffe peninsula and Brisbane's northern suburbs.

A notable technical milestone came in 2006–2007, when the station installed Klotz Broadcasting equipment and Omnia processing and became the first radio station with a community broadcasting licence in Australia to have a full digital air chain. Its broadcast setup has included Klotz Aeon and Xenon consoles, Simian automation and Rode microphones, with Omnia processing used for both its FM output and its online stream.

The station's community standing was formally recognised in January 2026, when the City of Moreton Bay announced that the station's home at 75 Anzac Avenue, Redcliffe, would be named the Don Gailer Building, after long-time volunteer Don Gailer. Gailer had been part of the station for 19 years, served four terms as its president, and developed a training program for community members wanting to become radio announcers. Announcing the decision, Mayor Peter Flannery noted that under Gailer's leadership the station had supported community campaigns such as Raise it for Redcliffe Hospital, Rockin 4 the Homeless, the Brisbane Convoy for Kids and an annual Christmas Toy Appeal, and had mentored countless volunteers, many of whom went on to careers in commercial radio. Signage and a history board explaining his contribution were to be installed at the building.

Programming and Content

Music is the backbone of the Bridge FM schedule. The station's weekday lineup begins with the Less Talk, More Music Brekky from 6 am to 9 am, three hours of rock variety with news and traffic. From 9 am to midday, Moreton Bay Today with Travis Groves delivers local, state and world current affairs, with interviews with local politicians, industry leaders and community stakeholders and an invitation for listeners to share their opinions. Afternoon programming includes shows such as Monday Arvo with Steve Dalton, which features the Ultimate 80's Lunchbox of big hits from twelve to one.

The Drive Home, from 3 pm to 6 pm, combines music with news, sport, weather and traffic updates every half hour, plus community news and trending stories. In the evening, A Breath of Fresh Air with broadcaster and journalist Sandy Kay celebrates the music of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s with stories and interviews from the artists themselves; Oz Rock, hosted by Bernie O'Bryan, traces the evolution of Australian rock with artists such as AC/DC, Cold Chisel, Skyhooks and John Farnham; and Late Night with Paul Botfield keeps night owls company with non-stop hits.

Alongside the music-led schedule, Bridge FM carries local news, community updates, interviews, comedy and talkback, and provides regular community service announcements for not-for-profit groups across the region. It also acts as a source of local information in emergencies, delivering updates relevant to the Moreton Bay community.

Audience and Reach

Bridge FM's FM signal covers northern Brisbane and the City of Moreton Bay, reaching, in the station's own description, from north of the Brisbane River to Caboolture and beyond. The station describes itself as having built one of the largest community radio footprints in Australia. That is the station's own characterisation rather than an independently measured result: community radio stations in Australia are not included in the official commercial radio ratings, and no verified audience figures are published for 99.7 Bridge FM.

What can be said with confidence is that the station serves a large and growing population across the Redcliffe peninsula, Pine Rivers and Caboolture corridors of Brisbane's north, a community of interest numbering in the hundreds of thousands of residents, and that its online stream extends listening well beyond the FM footprint — its website even displays messages from listeners as far away as Hong Kong alongside those from suburbs across Moreton Bay.

Digital Presence

The station's website, 997fm.com.au, presents its program guide, presenter and show information, community "What's On" listings and membership and sponsorship information, and provides access to its online stream, which uses the same Omnia processing chain as its FM broadcast. The site also carries listener messages and shout-outs from across the broadcast area, reflecting the station's interactive, community-facing style.

Bridge FM maintains a presence on social media, including a Facebook community through which listeners follow station news, events and program updates. Online directories and streaming services also list the station, making its classic rock format available to listeners outside Queensland and overseas.

Ownership and Organisation

99.7 Bridge FM's community broadcasting licence is regulated by the Australian Communications and Media Authority, with the licence held by Moreton Media Group Inc. The station operates as a not-for-profit community broadcaster and is run entirely by volunteers, governed by an elected board. The board listed by the station comprises President Don Gailer, Vice President Derek Brown, Secretary Beck Buckingham, Public Relations officer Ron Hailes, Grants Coordinator Fran Cahill and IT officer Jonathon Twartz, with the treasurer position listed as vacant.

Funding comes from a mix typical of the community sector: very low-cost memberships — the station promotes membership from just five dollars — donations, and sponsorship from local businesses, whose support the station credits with covering essential operating costs such as equipment, utilities, licensing and subscriptions. Volunteers who want on-air experience can take part in the station's announcer training, a pathway that has launched a number of commercial radio careers.

Contact and Availability

99.7 Bridge FM broadcasts on 99.7 FM throughout northern Brisbane and Moreton Bay, Queensland, and streams online via its website. The station's studios are located at 75 Anzac Avenue, Redcliffe, Queensland 4020 — next to the museum — the building the City of Moreton Bay resolved in 2026 to name the Don Gailer Building. The station can be reached by phone on (07) 3284 5000 and by email at reception@997fm.com.au. Not-for-profit groups can request community service announcements, ideally with four weeks' notice, by phone or through the form on the station's website, and prospective volunteers, members and sponsors can contact the station through the same channels.