In the late 1990s, Dave ‘Rabbit’ Rabbetts was a household name throughout the MIA as the original breakfast radio host on Griffith’s edgy new youth station, FM99.7.

More than two decades later, he has taken his show on the road, doing what he does best from a mobile podcasting studio dubbed The PodVan, delivering “a celebration of the lighter side of life”.

The PodVan Rabbit’s mobile studio allows him to capture stories from anywhere and it was in Narrandera last week.

The New Zealand-born broadcaster moved to Australia in 1998 with the promise of new opportunities opening up in regional FM broadcasting.

‘Brekky with Rabbit and Trina’ at Griffith soon became must-listen-radio and the early morning duo had a rusted-on listenership among the region’s younger demographic.

“I loved the town, loved the people and I think everyone was just so excited about the new FM radio station,” he said.

Rabbit eventually moved on to host programs in Cairns, Adelaide and then Sydney with the launch of the new Nova 969 and eventually settled on the NSW Central Coast in 2015.

Despite consistently strong ratings, a string of awards and a loyal following, Rabbit’s contract was not renewed at the end of 2023 and he found himself facing an uncertain future.

“Then I saw the rise of podcasts and thought I’d use everything that I’ve learned through my career, so I built a studio into an old 1960s caravan that I can tow around and meet people and get their stories.” 

Rabbit did the renovations on the vintage van himself and sees the PodVan Podcast as “a testament to resilience and possibilities”.

Unlike radio, podcast interviews are not limited to four-minute soundbites and Rabbit said he’s enjoying the chance to go deeper.

Rabbit launched episode one of the PodVan Podcast with former radio co-host Julie Goodwin in March.

His current odyssey has taken the PodVan to the Riverina via Bathurst and he will spend some time in Adelaide before making the return trip to the Central Coast.

He is catching up with friends and recording with them and stopping along the way and having random conversations with people, including Scott and Bec Rowlings of Mon Repos at Narrandera.

“When I meet someone, if I find something about what they’re telling me interesting, I ask them to jump in the van; I’ve got all the gear set up, and I hit record.

“You just never know where a conversation is going to go!”

This article appeared in the Narrandera Argus, 21 November 2024.