Joe Oost, well known North Queensland radio man, has died aged 96. Among his many achievements, he was responsible for putting together the first-ever Commercial Radio Network in Australia AWA ‘The Network’. He was also inducted into the Commercial Radio Hall of Fame in 2002.

Paul Ramsden shared his memories on the Radio Green Room FB page:

“Joe not only made history he was and is Radio history. But Joe, aka The Federal Father (radio), was responsible for so many innovations and (at the time) new revolutionary systems taken for granted today. He never bothered about recognition, he just got on with it. An engineer by training but had the amazing gift of combining his left brain with the right. One of a kind! There is not enough room to mention all the highlights, but it was he who pulled together the first-ever Commercial Radio Network in Australia AWA ‘The Network;’ Designed the first ever digital studio and installed it; with Don McDonald creating the only AM 4 mast array 693 in Melbourne (now 3AW), led the industry into FM, saved the City of Townsville during Cyclone Althea, designed and project managed so many new studios and new Radio stations which are just standard today but way ahead of their time and that’s just a few. Humble, honest and a true mentor who always protected and stood up for his company and workmates. Let no one change history and remember Joe for what he actually did, not only for the AWA group but to the whole Commercial Radio Industry.”

Other tributes:

David McDonald: “No one should try to steal Joe’s thunder and his great work as dedicated and committed Radio person. Thoroughly enjoyed my time working with him particularly during the time acquisition of 6KY and 3MP. Gone, but not forgotten. RIP Joe, our good friend and colleague.

Pete Rudder: “I really respected Joe. Worked with him and CJ at 2CH. Kind,empathetic and completely circumspect about all admin responsibilities. One of the most decent. A radio life beautifully lived.”

Pete Brown: “Gave me my first job in 72 at 4TO. A true gentleman – R.I.P Mr Oost.”

John Hubbard: “One of my favourite memories working at 4TO with Joh. Nothing but admiration for this wonderful man. Sail on Joe.”

The 4AY Old Timers FB page talks about Joe’s life and times in Townsville at 4TO.

“It would be reasonable to say that Joe deserves all of the credit for keeping the AWA owned 4TO on air during the heavy impact of Cyclone Althea on Townsville and Thuringowa. On 24 December 1971, Tropical cyclone Althea swept across Townsville, resulting in three deaths. Ninety per cent of the Magnetic Island houses were either damaged or destroyed. At the time there were no true official cyclone alerts available from the Weather Bureau outside of the major city of Brisbane. Here’s a clip from the local newspaper “The Bulletin “at the time.

“In the immediate aftermath of the cyclone, Townsville residents complained they had received inadequate warnings and information while cyclone Althea was bearing down on the city.

The manager of radio station 4TO, Mr Oost, told the Townsville Daily Bulletin in April 1972, that confusion and panic was caused by various radio news services broadcasting conflicting and sometimes out of date reports on the movement of the cyclone.

Mr Oost said that a Brisbane radio station had broadcast superseded reports of the cyclone’s position, and that those broadcasts had then been relayed to Townsville. “At 10am, when the cyclone was actually over Townsville, one report said the cyclone was expected to cross the coast at noon, causing horror to many people who thought worse was yet to come,” the Bulletin noted. “The wording of some early reports by the Weather Bureau had also confused people, and had given them a false sense of security,” Mr Oost said.

He cited one report that gave the cyclone’s position as 500 miles north-east of Mackay, but neglected to even mention Townsville, with the result that some people thought that meant Townsville would escape the danger.

At that time, the Weather Bureau only had access to two satellite images per day – a far cry from the satellite technology at its disposal today. In response to the criticism the Bureau resolved to strengthen its cyclone warning chain. Automatic weather stations would be erected on Creel and Zodiac Reefs, between Mackay and Rockhampton and at other locations along the coast, while another was being considered for Holmes Reef, east of Cairns.

Our condolences to his daughter Jo (McNaught) and sisters.