OneMob Radio: First Nations Voices Go Live

A brand new first nations media platform has launched in Coffs Harbour. OneMob Radio aims to celebrate and showcase Aboriginal people, their stories, achievements and culture. Webcasting 24 hours a day, seven days a week, OneMob Radio will represent a strong and connected community. Coastbeat went along to this exciting new station’s launch.  

The young Gumbaynggirr man behind OneMob is Lachlan ‘Lockie’ Skinner. Passionate about radio from a young age, Lockie learnt the ropes as a volunteer at Coffs Harbour community station CHY-FM. Lockie anchored the station’s first ever Koori radio show called ‘Speaking Hour Lingo’. 

“I’ve always wanted to start my own radio station,” he explains. “I looked into it and spoke to a few people who suggested an internet-based station.” 

Listen anywhere, anytime

OneMob Radio’s home is in Coffs Harbour on Gumbaynggirr Country, but presenters can air their shows from anywhere. Listeners don’t have to tune into a certain frequency, they can simply go to OneMob’s website and press play.   

“It will be different from your usual radio station,” Lockie says. “As well as local presenters, we’ll stream podcasts, have mindfulness segments incorporating culture and language and a lot of messaging around mental health, too.”

Lockie will present the weekday breakfast show from 7 am while his aunty, Gumbaynggirr woman Noelene Skinner will host TIDDATALK every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon. 

Talking to tiddas

Noelene initially planned to offer support and work in the background of OneMob but Lockie asked her to consider presenting her own show. As a strong advocate for women in community, Lockie suggested she focus on sisters, aunties, mothers and daughters. 

“We  went back and forth and came up with ‘TIDDATALK’,” Noelene says. “Tidda means sister so we’ll focus on anything and everything tidda – women in community, women in work, women in sport and local events.”

Noelene is excited to reveal that her first show will feature her mother, Nan Skinner and her daughter, May May Ferguson. 

“It will be Three Generations Tidda,” she explains. “From mum growing up, to me and then my daughter, focusing on how things have changed.”

The OneMob Radio launch was an outside broadcast at Galambila Aboriginal Health Service. It featured a captivating performance by the Wajaarr Ngaarlu dancers.

Check out the full OneMob program here and follow along on Instagram. 

Read our story about Sistas and Salt – empowering young Aboriginal women through culture and conservation.