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Image of a building that has the words Community Radio 855AM on the side of it. It is a two level building, that's also painted black at the front street side with a dandelion in white. In the front window of the building there is an aboriginal flag and a bike locked up to a pole.
Close up image of the building with the words Community Radio 855am on it. It shows the building is on a one way laneway and that there are blue skies in the background.

3CR Community Radio

Description

3CR Community Radio is one of Australia’s oldest community radio stations, gaining its licence in 1976. In 2026 we're turning 50 years old!

Celebrate five decades of operation with us and see memorabilia commemorating 50 years of activity including posters, photos and equipment from the 1980s or before. 

Our station is a refurbished, double-fronted and double-storey terrace on Smith Street, Fitzroy where we first moved to in 1983. Inside we have four radio studios, an internal courtyard with mural, an upstairs meeting room and staff offices.

We are a unique media, social and cultural institution within the Melbourne context and we’re run by hundreds of volunteers who create live, local radio across music shows, alternative current affairs, community language programs, and First Nations content. As the neighbourhood changes, 3CR remains unique and steadfast as a home for the whole community to come together and share their own stories and discuss issues of concern to them.  

What's On

Come and see an active community radio station in action and hear about its rich history. We’re home to truly diverse community content that you don’t find anywhere else across the media landscape. As part of the tour, you’ll get to look inside a radio studio, meet local broadcasters, understand broadcast transmission pathways and even jump into a studio and record yourself!

The tour will include anecdotes from the station’s dynamic history—we gained our licence just before the dismissal of the Whitlam Government in late 1975, and hear more about where Ruby Hunter and Archie Roach did some of their first live music performances, plus we're turning 50!

There’ll be information about the station’s early days, as well as its current activities, which includes the creation of over 100 local programs each and every week. Find out how to get involved in local media production and about the large nationwide mediaspace that is the community broadcasting sector of Australia. 

Children's Activities

This is a family friendly station tour and experience within a radio studio environment. Young people are welcome!

Images: (1-2) 3CR Building. Photos courtesy of 3CR.

Important Details

Time & Date

Friday 24 July + Saturday 25 July
Tours run 10am, 11am, 12pm, 1pm + 2pm
Running for 45 minutes in groups of 10
Live radio shows on air and in-studio experience part of the tour

Ring the front door bell at 21 Smith Street, Fitzroy to wait at reception where your tour will start from.

ACCESSIBILITY

Accessible bathrooms, Quiet or sensory rooms, Assistance animals welcome, All ages, All-gender bathrooms

There are stairs within our building but the back section, including studios, toilet and kitchen, is accessible.

Location

21 Smith St, Fitzroy VIC 3065

Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Country

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