The Sydney University Radio Group was created in the late 90s by William Balfour, who would later work for the University of Sydney Union as entertainment manager for Manning House.

At that time, SURG complemented the University Broadcasting Service which operated from beneath the Wentworth Building. Activities involved organising for members to produce shows on community radio stations around Sydney and subsidising members’ participation in radio presentation and production courses. We had affiliations with 2SER at UTS in Ultimo, 2RRR at Gladesville and 2RDJ in Marrickville.

In the mid 00s, after UBS transferred and transformed into Fbi Radio at Waterloo, we began independent broadcasting using the Temporary Community Broadcast Licenses which we continue to use today. A former SURG member, Tim Traeger – who worked at FBi and ABC Radio – would lend us equipment and his expertise to get the station up and running, twice a year. SURG would broadcast from its caravan on the front lawns at the Quadrangle and from the Barnard Eldershaw room at Manning House. This would remain the status-quo for 5 years of sporadic broadcasting.

In 2010 SURG moved out of Manning House when its studios at the Holme Building were finalised. The studios were built by the University Arts Faculty on USU premises in a deal brokered with the help of SURG’s executive in 2008.  The deal was intended to satisfy each of the three stakeholders key objectives – the University has a state-of-the-art teaching facility and the USU and SURG have a subsidised broadcast facility available for their members.

In 2011, SURG began its first online streaming trial alongside its usual VERGE! Arts Festival FM radio broadcast with a view to a permanent online broadcast for the future.

Many SURG members have gone on to hold positions within the University of Sydney Union or to work in the media industry. As well as Will Balfour and Tim Traeger, notable SURGers include:

• Rose Khalilizadeh, SURG President 2006, University of Sydney Union President 07/08 ;
• Richie Coutts, SURG President 2005, presents on Fbi Radio and has worked at Nova969;
• Oliver Peterson, SURG member, produces the breakfast show on Fbi Radio;
• Matt O’Neill, SURG member, presents on Fbi Radio.
• Tim Dunlop, SURG member, produces on 2Day FM
• Shannon Connellan, SURG member, presenter on FBi Radio

To read about what SURG’s various activities over the years, have a read through the annual reports.