Radio ‘rock dog’, Dave Warner, bows out after years of dominating Cairns’ airwaves

Star 102.7’s Dave Warner will hang up the headphones next month, ending a half-decade of ratings dominance in Cairns alongside breakfast co-host, Inkie.

A self-confessed Melbourne “rock dog”, Star 102.7’s Dave Warner never expected to become a broadcasting juggernaut and cherished Far North Queensland voice.

“The idea of live radio scared the absolute pants off me,” the laidback breakfast co-host said.

“I thought I’d get found out within a year and yet, here we are 20 years later.”

Next month, Mr Warner will hang up the headphones, ending a half-decade of ratings dominance in Cairns, alongside co-host Inkie Bissell for the commercial station.

But the long-time broadcaster may have never trekked north if not for a conversation over coffee with his now wife on a bitterly cold Melbourne morning.

“It was the middle of winter one day, maybe two degrees outside,” Mr Warner said.

“Our lease was up on our house and Fleur’s grandparents were downsizing, so their house was available.

“I was at a point where I’d finished up doing work for a record company. I had a recording studio for a bit, had managed a couple of bands but I wasn’t really doing much.

“But I’d come up a couple of years earlier (to Cairns) and just fell in love with the joint. The Daintree, Tablelands, the reef. It absolutely blew my mind. I didn’t realise places like this existed.”

After 20 years of hosting breakfast radio programs, most recently partnering with Inkie Bissell on StarFM, Dave Warner is hanging up his headphones and retiring from broadcasting. Picture: Brendan Radke

Starting from humble beginnings with Sea FM in 2000, Mr Warner eventually replaced then breakfast host Todd Widdicombe three years later.

“I think I was about 30 and I was doing a lot of promo work at first,” Mr Warner said.

“You gave away icy cold cans of coke and bags of chips. So I did that. I’d been doing some fill-in shifts and the GM said, ‘Why don’t you put your hand up (for the breakfast job)? You’d be alright’.

“I had never considered it up to that point. It wasn’t even on my radar but I thought I should get out of my comfort zone.”

Weekend events are all part of the caper when you work in breakfast radio. Jez White, Craig Seivers, Inkie Bissell, Dave Warner and Liam Elliston took part in the 10th annual Cardiac Challenge charity bike ride. PICTURE: Andrea Falvo

Following a brief stint on the Sunshine Coast, Mr Warner returned to the Far North, forming an on-air tandem with Inkie from 2010.

“It was Zinc FM back then (the station re-branded in 2016),” he said.

“It was just dumb luck that Inkie and I share a great chemistry. It’s unfakeable.

“It’s not all smooth sailing. There are moments where we haven’t spoken to each other for a while and we get up each others’ noses.

“But we’ve developed a really strong friendship. We do a lot of road trips and have a lot of fun together.”

After 20 years of hosting breakfast radio programs, most recently partnering with Inkie Bissell on StarFM, Dave Warner is hanging up his headphones and retiring from broadcasting. Picture: Brendan Radke

Building a trusted and vibrant breakfast radio audience was his greatest achievement, Mr Warner said.

“I think 2018 was our first ratings win and it was so sweet,” he said.

“Inkie and I both work really hard. We both want to be number one. That’s our job – to deliver an audience.

“The next survey I think we went 12 points ahead (of our nearest competitor) in a small market. We’ve managed to maintain that which we’re really proud of.

“But it took us a while to get there.”

With their irreverent charm, Dave & Inkie won over Cairns listeners by never being afraid to laugh at themselves.

Star 102.7 general manager Jim Ybema paid tribute to the outgoing presenter this week.

“Dave has been a breakfast announcer in Cairns for over two decades and he truly is a local, through and through,” Mr Ybema said.

“He’s an icon, an influencer and a highly respected community member. Dave will always be part of the Star 102.7 family.”

Having climbed the radio ratings radio mountain, Mr Warner said he is ready for “a long break”.

“I’ve achieved more than I thought I could,” he said

“Your family sacrifices a lot, so I think it’s the right time to go.”

Dave and Inkie’s last show together will air on Friday, December 15.

Originally published as Radio ‘rock dog’, Dave Warner, bows out after years of dominating Cairns’ airwaves