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14 December 2025

LOOKING at events on 14 December;

In 1911, Roald Amundsen and his team, Olav Bjaaland, Helmer Hanssen, Sverre Hassel, and Oscar Wisting, became the first to reach the South Pole.

In 1930, on the airwaves in Launceston, Tasmania, commercial radio station 7LA commenced regular transmission on the AM band at 1100 kHz.
The frequency changed slightly to 1098 kHz in 1978, and in 2008, the frequency changed again to 89.3 mHz.  The station then became known as LA-FM.

In 1944 the Liberal Party of Australia was formed in Canberra, to replace the United Australia Party.

In 1950, back in Launceston, over £300,000 damage was caused by a blaze which destroyed Ludbrooks department store.

In 1955 in Huonville, work commenced on construction of a new bridge to span the Huon River. 

In 1972 the last manned mission to the moon during the 20th Century concluded, as Eugene Cernan became the last person to date, to walk on the moon, after he and Harrison Schmitt completed their third Extra-vehicular Activity.

► BORN…..


In 1911,
in  Long Beach, California U.S.A.,  Lindley Armstrong Jones, alias Spike Jones, He was a popular musician who specialised in satirical arrangements of popular songs, punctuated with gunshots, whistles, cowbells, and ridiculous vocals.
Through the 1940s and early 1950s, the band recorded under the title Spike Jones and his City Slickers. He died in 1965.

In 1932, in Colt, Arkansas, U.S.A.,  Charlie Rich, rockabilly/jazz/country singer and musician remembered for his 1973 hits Behind Closed Doors and The Most Beautiful Girl    He died in 1995.

In 1964,  in Levin, New Zealand,, Rebecca Gibney, actress who has appeared in numerous Australian film and television productions. She won a Gold Logie in 2010 for her role as Julie Rafter in Packed To The Rafters.

In 1964, in Knoxfield, Melbourne, Nadine Garner, stage and screen actress who first appeared in 1985, as Tamara Henderson in the Australian TV series, The Henderson Kids.
Nadine has appeared in many other series, including Prisoner, Neighbours, The Bill, A Country Practice, The Flying Doctors, G P, Water Rats.  And The Doctor Blake Mysteries.

DIED…..

In 1963 in Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A.,   Ruth Lee Jones, alias Dinah Washington, African-American jazz/blues singer and pianist  cited as “the most popular black female recording artist of the ’50s.”   She was aged 39.

In 2011 in Vidor, Texas, U.S.A., Billie Jo Spears, country singer whose biggest hit was Blanket On The Ground in 1974.  She was aged 73.

In 2013 in London, England,  Peter O’Toole, Irish actor of stage and screen who achieved stardom in 1962 with the role of T.E. Lawrence in Lawrence of Arabia.  He later became a highly-honoured film and stage actor.  He was aged 81.

Today’s photo – New Norfolk Carols, last Friday (12 December), on the Esplanade.   (Yours Truly.)

Today’s Playlist :

TRACKRELEASE YEARTIMEPREVIOUS PLAYSLAST PLAYED
John Mullan – Summertime Blues 202506:060 
Charting this day 1975 ABBA – Mamma Mia 197506:121918/8/2024
Charting this day 1975 Dr Hook – Only Sixteen 197506:16319/1/2025
Shirley Llewellyn – I Came From The Nambucca Valley 202506:20130/11/2025
Warren Kearney – Christmas Our Way 202106:22522/12/2024
Walk Don ‘t Run – Backroads and Moonshine  202506:250 
Ian Hughes & His Orchestra – I Just Called To Say I Love You  06:33213/12/2024
For A Listener: John Williamson – A Christmas Photo 06:371622/12/2024
Charlie Rich – Rolling With The Flow 197706:4258/4/2025
Robert Ross – People Like Me 202506:4517/12/2025
The Charlesys – Fun Christmas Day 202506:5017/12/2025
Vintage Vinyl    Dean Martin – Memories Are Made Of This 195506:5445/8/2021
Mountain Rio – Christmas In Ukraine202506:56312/12/2025
Stuart Joel Nuggett & Kevin Sullivan – I’m Barred Again 202507:0525/12/2025
Charting this day 1975 Band of the Black Watch – Scotch On The Rocks  197507:1245/10/2025
Charting this day 1975 Rod Stewart – Sailing  197507:152613/4/2025
For A Listener: Melba Montgomery – No Charge  196407:210 
For A Listener: John Paul Young – Yesterday’s Hero 197507:250 
Romantic Strings Orchestra – Unchained Melody  07:300 
Dinah Washington – September In The Rain 196107:36729/8/2025
Billie Jo Spears – What I’ve Got In Mind 202507:3845/11/2023
Vintage Vinyl    Les Baxter Chorus – Because Of You 195107:43129/12/2013
Glenn Levi – Christmas In Australia202507:46412/12/2025
Marshall Tucker Band – Heard It In A Love Song  07:510 
Lou Monte – Dominick The Donkey  07:561322/12/2024
Mike McClellan – Rock’n’Roll Man  08:050 
For a Listener: Roy Orbison – California Blue198908:111521/11/2025
Charting this day 1975 Joe Dolan – Lady In Blue 197508:1552/11/2018
Charting this day 1975 Roger Whittaker – I Don’t Believe In If Any More 197508:19529/12/2023
Peter Stefanson – In Our Childhood Days 202508:28529/8/2025
Simon Orton – That’s Life 202508:32221/11/2025
Gordon Langford & His Orchestra – Against All Odds 08:39116/4/2021
Joy Adams & Gary R Farmer – The Book 202508:43230/11/2025
Toni West – Soon It’ll Be Christmas  08:47112/12/2021
Vintage Vinyl    Perry Como – Magic Moments 195808:51317/10/2025
Matt Flinders – By The Time I Get To Phoenix  08:540 

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