In 1969, two Apollo 11 crew members, Neil Armstrong and Edwin ‘Buzz’ Aldrin, were the first people to set foot on the surface of the Moon and safely return to Earth, with the support of their Command Module Pilot, Michael Collins.
To mark the 50th anniversary of this event in 2019, the NFSA is highlighting a rare item in our radio collection – a vinyl record produced by the Macquarie Broadcasting Service (MBS) News Division. Pictured below, the record is titled The Loneliest Journey. A record of man's greatest adventure – The Apollo 11 Mission, 1969. NFSA Title: 1559931.
This recording was broadcast on 2GB radio and later commercially released as a vinyl disc. It was written and produced by Brian White, a veteran of Australian radio, and was narrated by Terry Dear, the legendary host of Australia’s Amateur Hour and Leave it to the Girls. In this production White and Dear work well together, creating a powerful program that effectively engages the listener.
'The most incredible journey'
Dear's clear narration features in this introductory clip which contains excerpts from speeches by US President John F Kennedy in 1961 as he speaks about the goal to fly to the moon, and President Richard M Nixon in 1969, who held office at the time of the Apollo 11 mission:
