About South Coast FM

South Coast FM

South Coast FM is a community radio station serving South Gippsland, the Bass Coast and beyond in south-eastern Victoria, Australia. Operating under the callsign 3MFM from three FM transmitters — 88.1 MHz central, 89.1 MHz west and 89.5 MHz east — the station broadcasts from its base at Wonthaggi/Inverloch to a listening area the station describes as spanning 41,000 square kilometres, from Phillip Island in the west to Yarram in the east and Wilsons Promontory in the south. Run entirely by volunteers, South Coast FM blends daytime popular music from the 60s to today with specialist programs spanning country, jazz, Celtic, classical, blues and heavy metal, alongside local news and community information.

Overview

South Coast FM — officially South Gippsland Radio 3mfm Inc, trading as South Coast FM — is an incorporated association and registered charity. Its operations are overseen by a board of management elected by financial members at the annual general meeting, typically held in October. The station describes itself as a community radio station run by volunteers, located south-east of Melbourne, dedicated to providing entertainment, music and news with a local flavour.

The station broadcasts from three FM transmission towers: 88.1 MHz covering the central area (Korumburra, Leongatha, Wonthaggi, Inverloch), 89.1 MHz covering the west (Phillip Island, San Remo, Bass) and 89.5 MHz covering the east (Foster, Yarram, Wilsons Promontory). It also broadcasts via internet live streaming and an on-demand service.

History

The station's ACMA records trace its authorisation to 29 December 1989, when the 3MFM service was authorised — placing South Coast FM's origins in the late-1980s wave of regional community radio licensing. The Phillip Island translator on 89.1 MHz, broadcasting from Bass Hill, was authorised on the same date, showing that the multi-transmitter model was part of the station's design from the beginning.

The "South Coast FM" branding reflects the station's evolution from a Leongatha-based service into a regional broadcaster spanning the South Gippsland and Bass Coast shires. The current identity — South Coast FM, South Gippsland, Bass Coast and beyond — captures a station that has grown from a single town's community voice into the soundtrack of an entire coastline.

That growth mirrors the region's own transformation. South Gippsland and the Bass Coast have changed profoundly since 1989: the dairy country around Leongatha and Korumburra has consolidated and diversified, Wonthaggi has grown from a coal-mining town into a regional centre, Phillip Island has become one of Victoria's premier tourism destinations, and the coastal towns have boomed with sea-changers and holidaymakers. Through each wave of change, 3MFM's three transmitters have carried a volunteer voice attuned to the place — the station growing its footprint as its community grew around it.

Programming

South Coast FM's daytime format features popular music from the 60s to today, while specialist programs cover country, jazz, Celtic, classical, blues, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, heavy metal, new-release indie and much more. The program guide lists shows including A Hot Country Breakfast, the Afternoon Show, Artie's Friday Night Funbag, Back To The 70's, Big John's Big Country, Blues Rock Crossroads, Breakfast Club, Celtic Crossover, Chartbusting 80's, Classic Music Mix, Conga Cafe, Country & More, Drive Time, Easy Classics, Golden Hits of the 50's, Jamming with Jess, Jams Run Free, Lion's Hour and the Hot 30 with Matty — a schedule reflecting dozens of volunteer presenters, each with their own musical passion.

Local news and community information are woven through the schedule. The station's community role was vividly illustrated on 3 October 2026, when its website carried emergency community information about the 4.8-magnitude earthquake at Leongatha — a reminder that in a disaster-prone region, the local community station is part of the emergency-information ecosystem.

The specialist-program model is the station's secret strength. Where commercial stations chase the broadest possible audience with the narrowest possible playlist, South Coast FM's volunteers each serve their own tribe: the Celtic music lovers, the heavy metal fans, the classical devotees, the country faithful. No commercial operator would program Celtic Crossover or Blues Rock Crossroads to a regional Victorian audience — but a volunteer who loves the music will, and the listeners who share that love will find the station and stay. Studio engagement runs through the Tap N Text line (0491 605 982), inviting listeners to get involved in broadcasts.

Coverage and Audience

The station describes its listening area as encompassing some 41,000 square kilometres, bounded by Phillip Island in the west, Lang Lang, Mirboo North and Boolarra to the north, Yarram to the east and Wilsons Promontory in the south. It covers the South Gippsland and Bass Coast shires and parts of the Baw Baw, Cardinia, Casey, Latrobe, Mornington and Wellington shires. Major towns include Cowes, Foster, Inverloch, Korumburra, Lang Lang, Leongatha, Mirboo North, San Remo, Wonthaggi and Yarram.

The station counts over 70,000 permanent residents in its listening area — a number it notes is rapidly growing and swells significantly in coastal areas at holiday times, particularly over summer. No independently published audience figures are available for South Coast FM, and the station makes no listenership claims; community stations are not covered by the commercial ratings system. Its audience is the permanent and holiday population of the South Gippsland coast — farmers, fishers, tourism workers, retirees and the summer influx that doubles the population of towns like Inverloch and San Remo. The three-transmitter model serves that audience's geography: the 88.1 central signal for the agricultural heartland around Leongatha and Wonthaggi, the 89.1 western signal for Phillip Island's tourism economy and San Remo's fishing fleet, the 89.5 eastern signal for Foster, Yarram and the Promontory's wilderness edge. Three frequencies, one community — and a listening area that stretches from Melbourne's outer suburbs to the southernmost tip of mainland Australia.

Ownership

South Coast FM is owned and operated by South Gippsland Radio 3mfm Inc (ABN 29019110776), trading as South Coast FM — an incorporated association and registered charity. The board of management is elected by financial members at the annual general meeting; the 2026 AGM was scheduled for Wednesday 7 October 2026 at 5pm at the Wonthaggi Club, 16 McBride Ave, Wonthaggi. All operations are volunteer-run. Every presenter, every board member, every trivia-night organiser gives their time freely — and the station's three-decade-plus survival is proof of what that volunteer energy can sustain. Published contact details include 10 B William Street, Inverloch VIC, PO Box 144, Inverloch VIC 3996, phone (03) 5674 1900 and the studio Tap N Text line 0491 605 982.

Fundraising is community-driven: the annual South Coast FM Music Trivia Night — the 2026 edition held on Saturday 3 October 2026 at the Wonthaggi Workers Club, with tickets at $20 for non-members and $15 for members — combines entertainment with the raffles and silent auctions that sustain the station's finances.

Digital Presence

The station's official website, southcoastfm.au, is verified as its live online home: it carries community information, AGM notices, event details, the Tap N Text engagement line and program information. The station broadcasts via internet live streaming and an on-demand service, extending its reach beyond the three FM transmitters to former residents and the wider diaspora. Social presences include @SouthCoastFM on Facebook and @sthcoastfm on Instagram. Between the website, the stream, on-demand audio and social channels, South Coast FM keeps its South Gippsland and Bass Coast community connected — from Phillip Island to Wilsons Promontory — well beyond the FM dial.