Program: Country Hour celebrates 80 years of continuous broadcasting today

Australia's longest-running radio program, The Country Hour, celebrated 80 years of continuous broadcasting on Wednesday 3rd of December, 2025.

Michael Condon has been delving into the archive to look at the major events and stories the program has covered over the decades. 

That includes the Snowy scheme, environmental water, the creation of the water market and the Murray Darling Basin plan; Native Title and its impact on farming and mining; the collapse of the Reserve Price Wool Scheme; the controversy over genetically modified food and the impact of that technology on farming; plagues of rabbits; the role of the CWA and the changing climate. 

Among the people you will hear are Dick Sneddon, the first Country Hour Presenter, John Douglass, Head of Rural Broadcasting, Sir William Gunn Wool industry stalwart, Primary Industry Minister John Kerin and Simon Crean, Kerry O'Brien ABC Broadcaster, Neil Innal ABC Braodcaster, Kerry Lonergan, Blue Hills actors (various) Vox Pops of Blue Hills listeners ABC Sydney, Grant Woodhams ABC Broadcaster, Professor Peter Cullen MDB expert, Prime Ministers Paul Keating and John Howard, Rick Farley NFF, NFF presidents Don McCaughie and Ian Maclachlan, Wik claimant Gladys Tybingooompa, Bonita Mabo, NSW Farmers Jock Laurie, Dr Penny Whitten CSIRO Climate scientist, Biologist Professor Don Greigson, Geneticist Roger Salquist, Monsanto President Earl Halverson, Former Blair Governemnt Minister Mark Meecher, CSIRO Scientist Gary Fitt, anti GM activists Julie Newman and Bob Phelps, Sir Gus Nossal, Sarina Locke ABC Broadcaster, Lucy Broad ABC Broadcaster, Deb Thiele First ABC rural woman of the year, Dorothy Dunn Women in Agriculture.