Marty Haynes has been a staple of breakfast radio in the Illawarra for decades. Photo: i98fm.
A local legend of breakfast radio in the Illawarra has announced he’ll be taking a step back after decades on the air, but this won’t be the last you hear of Marty Haynes, with the popular host determined to continue doing the work he loves, connecting with his community and helping people across the region.
For many across the Illawarra, the voice of i98fm’s Marty Haynes has started their day for more than two decades, but the long-time host shocked listeners on Monday with the news that he was putting down the microphone.
“I just thought it was the right time to do it,” Marty told Region.
“I always had it in the back of my mind that I wanted to get out on top and not still be there in years to come and people go, ‘Oh, he’s still there.’
“I’ve had a great time; I’ve enjoyed it; I’ve worked with some really great talent on the way that have sat in the chair and I’ve got no regrets.”
Marty hosts the breakfast program with Christian McEwan and Bella Leone but had been discussing the possibility of stepping back for the past year with management at WIN Network, who were supportive of whatever decision he made when he felt the time was right.
“My contract was up in May and moving into another two or three years I just thought it probably time for the younger guys to take it and run with it with different ideas and a new style,” he said.
Since he shared the news, Marty said the response from the community had been “overwhelming”.
“From the nice comments on Facebook to someone stopping me in the street, you just go, ‘Wow, I didn’t realise I had an impact like that in the community’.
“When you sit in the little box and broadcast with a little microphone, you don’t realise how many people probably do listen and the impact it has.”
Marty couldn’t pinpoint a favourite moment from his many years on air with countless incredible interviews, but at the heart of it, being able to help others has always been a highlight.
“There’s been so many great things; I think the best thing is just helping someone.
“Some things we’ve done over the years, like the big bushfire appeal back in 2009, when the whole community rallied together and we loaded 20 semi-trailers and went to Victoria to help those who had lost everything in those bushfires.”
His love for helping people launched one of the region’s most iconic fundraising events, the i98fm Illawarra Convoy which has raised more than $27.6 million since it began.
“When we set out in 2005 to help Camp Quality, at that stage we wanted to raise $20,000, and I think we raised about $52,000 that year and I thought we’ve got something here,” Marty said.
By 2015 the event was raking in more than a million dollars, so they wanted to expand the reach of those they could help by starting the Illawarra Community Foundation which distributes funds to local people with life-threatening illnesses and their families.
“People love it because we’re helping someone whether it’s a kid in their school or a mum over the back fence, the money stays in the region.
“I always said if it stays in the region it will always work and it has, it does work, that’s why it’s been so successful because the hard-earned money that people put in a bucket or fundraise for a lead bike or truck, they know that it’s going to help someone in their community.”
But as much as the event keeps recording success after success, the need still remains.
“Last month, straight after Convoy where we raised $2.5 million, we spent $200,000 on 20 families, so you need to be raising that sort of money to help those in need.”
And just because he won’t be on air every morning, doesn’t mean Marty won’t still be involved.
He will still be working for i98fm and Convoy, with the finer details of his role to be decided in the new year, but he has no intention of retiring.
“I love working. I love getting up. I love connecting with people in the community, so I’m not going to stop doing that and I just couldn’t retire.”
He also hasn’t ruled out potentially returning to our airwaves in the future.
“You never know, I might come back on air doing something, I’m not sure, but I just needed to take a break and chill a little bit.”
Although he is set to enjoy a well-earned rest from the world of breakfast radio and is forgoing his 4 am alarm clock, a sleep-in isn’t really his style.
“I’ll still get up at 5:30/6 o’clock I would say but I’m not having to switch on and be on the go from an early time. I’ll just be able to get up, have a cup of coffee; the energy will be a little bit different, but I think I’ll enjoy it.”
Marty’s last show will be Friday 20 December.
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