The ABC has a new voice behind the microphone over breakfast, with presenter Nic Healey starting the Shepparton Breakfast program two weeks ago.
He took over the role from presenter of 17 years Matt Dowling, who left to take up a role at FoodShare in August.
Mr Healey made the move from Dubbo in Central West NSW in mid-October, dodging floods on his way down.
He said he had to call his real estate agent days before hopping in the car for the drive down the Newell Hwy to ask if his house was under water, which “fortunately” it wasn’t.
Mr Healey was the breakfast presenter in Dubbo, which covered an area nearly larger than Victoria — stretching from Dubbo to the Queensland border and out towards Broken Hill.
Before that, he was in the Pilbara, where he said “you could drive eight hours and still be in the same broadcast area”.
Now, he’s in a smaller patch and one closer to home. Mr Healey was born in Deniliquin, and joked his parents “keep moving half an hour down the highway” over the years, and were now based in Moama.
“Growing up, Shepparton was where we came to do our big shops and Dad’s family is still around regional Victoria,” he said.
“Shepparton itself has been absolutely lovely. I've lucked out where I've moved into, which is the gorgeous street where neighbours have been coming out to say hi and introduce themselves.
“I have not had a move where I've felt so welcomed so quickly.”
Despite that familiarity, Mr Healey is still expecting curveballs to be thrown his way on-air as he tries to pronounce the Upotipotpons, Wunghnus and Whroos of the Goulburn Valley, but for now the ABC’s audience has welcomed him with open arms, especially considering he’s taken over from a breakfast veteran.
“I am filling some very big shoes. I mean, you don't have someone like Matt here for the 17-odd years that he was without him crafting the language people expect to hear,” Mr Healey said.
“Now I'm an outsider relatively but people have been very welcoming, very quick to pick up the phone and say g’day — a listener named Jenny dropped around a dozen free-range eggs from her farm, which was absolutely lovely on my first day.
“I think people have just, you know, been a little forgiving. I'm gonna get town names wrong. I'm gonna get street names wrong. I'm gonna do all of that. But they’ve been good.”