A look at how quickly radio ascended from a novelty to an essential part of life for most Australian households.

Host Terry Dear introduces and interviews 'New Australians'  Paula and Olga Perledo from Greece.

George Harrison, John Lennon and Ringo Starr of The Beatles interviewed by Binny Lum in London, England in 1964.

A look at the early days of radio, charting its rise from crystal sets through to first broadcasts and advertisements, the emergence of commercial stations and radio personalities, and how the public’s voracious appetite for daily music, sport, news and conversation hinted at what radio would become.

Shortwave radio, so named because its wavelength was shorter than the signal used in AM transmission, could travel far greater distances.

The Aladdin Electric is a tuned frequency radio receiver, first marketed by Australian manufacturer Astor in 1929.

Crystal sets are the simplest type of radio receiver.

The Radio Voice Concert was broadcast from Sydney Town Hall on 17 June 1925.

Mulgaphone was a Perth-based manufacturer of radios founded in 1924 by Westralian Farmers Ltd, owners of station 6WF.

Then as now, on-air talent was key to radio stations developing and retaining the loyalty of listeners, lest they be tempted by a rival broadcaster.