Ben Vertigan, 17, has officially kicked off his radio career at 3YB FM / COAST FM Warrnambool, following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather before him. Is this a first for Australian radio? Three generations of one family, united by their passion for broadcasting.

Ben is the son of Jon Vertigan, a 16-time ACRA winner, ACE Radio Metro Content Director, and Magic 1278 daytime announcer. Jon, in turn, is the son of John Vertigan, a legendary broadcaster who dedicated 53 years to the industry—best known for his time as a music announcer on 3UZ in the 1960s and later as a sports coordinator at 3UZ/Sport 927 throughout the ’80s, ’90s, and 2000s. 

Now, the youngest Vertigan is making his own mark at ACE Radio Warrnambool in an “all-rounder” role, gaining hands-on experience across multiple departments. 

“I’m doing bits and pieces of everything—traffic scheduling, sales support, production, technical work. Basically, filling in wherever I’m needed, and I’m loving it!” Ben said. 

3YBFM/COAST FM General Manager Michael Duncan said ‘ACE has always been committed to our local communities which includes bring new people into our industry. 

Ben was the perfect choice as we looked to give a local a start in Radio.’ 

A passion for radio clearly runs deep in the Vertigan family, and Ben’s journey is just beginning.