Steve Price congratulated on 30 years behind the golden mike

The well wishes have flooded in for Townsville icon and community ambassador Steve Price who this week marked 30 years on breakfast radio.

4TO and Triple M announcer Steve Price marks 30 years on breakfast radio.

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The well wishes have flooded in for Townsville icon and community ambassador Steve Price who this week marked 30 years on breakfast radio.

Congratulations came from many, many people to the Triple M radio station and its Facebook page, including from Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Mayor Jenny Hill, Tony Mooney and commander of Townsville-based 3rd Brigade Brigadier Kahlil Fegan.

Mr Morrison congratulated “Pricey”, asking: “is it 30 years or 30 mango seasons”, while Cr Hill congratulated him for 30 years behind the golden mike adding: “I want to wish you the best and, as you say, happy days”.

Former long serving mayor Tony Mooney thanked Steve for his “tremendous passion and commitment for all things Townsville” and Brigadier Fegan said Pricey was an “absolute treasure”.

Pricey told the Bulletin he was surprised by the occasion, which had been organised by his boss Shane Jurgens, and was overwhelmed at the response.

Showing his 94-year-old mum, Sylvia, a video message from the prime minister and brigadier “saying good on you mate” brought tears to their eyes.

Townsville's journalist and radio broadcaster Steve Price on top of Castle Hill with the sprawling west behind him. Photographer: Liam Kidston.

“You don’t get a better moment in your life,” Steve said.

He came to Townsville after “all the staff” got sacked at radio station 3KZ in Melbourne.

He had wanted to move to a regional city by the sea and “Townsville picked me”.

“I just happened to apply at a time when two people resigned. I was only to be here for three weeks. I ripped up the return airline ticket the second day. I told them: I’m not leaving,” Steve said.

He has been Townsville’s most loved media identity ever since in a career spanning radio, television and print, supporting community causes like the Salvation Army and Mayor’s Christmas appeals and motivating crowds at Crocodiles NBL and North Queensland Cowboys games.

His wit, cheerfulness and colourful dress have been his hallmarks.

“It’s an extraordinary thing to get up at 3.30 for 30 years. You get up because you love it. I don’t do the job for me, it’s for the audience,” Steve said.

“If there’s a cyclone or if you are heartbroken, you’ve still got to do it because of the audience. They have their own issues and you make them laugh.”

He was “really moved” by the congratulations from staff and a call from Southern Cross Austereo CEO Grant Blackley who told him: “You’ve got a job as long as you want.”

Which is fine by Pricey.

“I will be here as long as I can but I understand times change and I will have to face that,” Steve said.

“I come in every day as if it’s my first day on radio because I get excited about it. I work every morning as if it’s my first day.”

Originally published as Steve Price congratulated on 30 years behind the golden mike