Much-loved Melbourne based ABC radio broadcaster Julie Copeland died early this year and will be farewelled at a celebration in St Kilda later in March.
Julie had come to the ABC from commercial radio but had a global view of the arts that only ABC Radio Two (as RN was called back then) could properly host.
"Arts National", "Arts Talk", "Sunday Morning Arts", but I met her as a young radio panel operator (ROPO) when she was presenting the book program "First Edition".
My memories are fond. She was professional and prepared. The program went out live and she arrived close to time with a well-organised stack of tapes. On one occasion, the studio developed a fault causing some distortion. I pretty much froze but she threw to a longer taped item, jumped up and dragged the team to another studio to continue the show.
Broadcast House in Melbourne was ageing and a bit of a rabbit warren. Julie's office was in "the cottage" along with other great broadcasters at the time including Terry Lane, Alan Stokes, Sue Slayman, Geoff Heriot and the team from "The coming out show". Although I was just a young radio operator she took the time to talk to me about the show and astonishingly invited me to review a book for the program. (I dread to think what I said about it).
Those buildings have all been demolished but memories of Julie's dedication, respect for her guests, listeners and colleagues lives on.
Vale Julie Copeland