3KZ commenced operations on 8 December 1930. The radio station was initiated by the Industrial Printing and Publicity Group as a means of spreading its message, and in the station's early years, it was broadcast from the Victorian Trades Hall. Its original frequency was 1350 kHz, moving to 1180 kHz on 1 September 1935. The frequency changed again on 23 November 1978 to 1179 kHz when all Australian AM radio stations were assigned new frequencies as part of the new 9 kHz spacing plan implemented. 3KZ was, along with 3DB, one of the "old guard" of Melbourne radio. In 1989, 3KZ was one of two successful bidders to convert to the FM band. 3KZ bid A$32 million for the right to convert to the FM band, the highest bid made for FM conversion in Australia. The second highest bid – A$20.1 million – was from radio 3AK, and the 3rd highest – A$10 million – was from 3TT.
KZFM
As a result, 3KZ moved to 104.3 MHz at 12:00 am on 1 January 1990. The station relaunched as KZFM, despite the station's official call sign of 3KKZ, carrying over its successful "Hits And Memories" positioner, with some changes to presentation style. KZFM was simulcasted on both 1179 kHz and 104.3 MHz frequencies for one month before the old AM frequency was closed down, to be later reassigned to 3RPH. The KZ switch to FM paid immediate short term dividends, as the new KZFM debuted at number one in the first ratings survey of 1990, breaking an almost three-year dominance by rival Fox FM. However KZFM's success was short-lived, with ratings soon taking a dive and the station going into receivership in 1993. Radio network Austereo soon purchased the station to supplement its popular Fox FM, however after lack of direction from its new parent company, and severe staff reductions, removal of its news room, and other cost cutting measured at KZFM, ownership of shortly changed to the Australian Radio Network, which was already operating rival radio station 101.1 TTFM.
Gold 104.3
On 7 October 1991, the KZFM branding was replaced with a new name of Gold 104 with a revamped playlist predominantly of hit songs from the 1960s and 1970s, under the banner "Good Time Oldies". After the change in ownership with the Australian Radio Network, Gold became stable enough to re-build its market position, and return much of its heritage style to the on-air presentation of the station. The original Gold 104 presenters were Shawn Cosgrove, Liz Sullivan, Gavin Wood, Craig Huggins, Bruce Neels, and Phil Baildon. Gold 104.3 and sister station KIIS 101.1 broadcast from shared facilities, in the Pelaco Building in the Melbourne suburb of Richmond. The station now predominantly focuses on a variety of songs from the 1980s, while also featuring a selection of songs from the 1970s, 1990s, early–mid 2000s and early 2010s. In December 2011, Peter 'Grubby' Stubbs and Diane 'Dee Dee' Dunleavy were axed from the station after hosting Grubby and Dee Dee for Breakfast for over 12 years. In early 2012, Brigitte Duclos and Anthony "Lehmo" Lehmann departed Mix Mornings on sister station Mix 101.1 to join Gold 104.3 on breakfast. Brigitte Duclos was announced as departing the station in November 2015, and was replaced by Jo Stanley in 2016. In November 2017, Jo Stanley and Anthony "Lehmo" Lehmann were axed after securing the station's best ever breakfast results in a decade. In February 2018, O'Connell announced he would be leaving Absolute Radio and emigrating to Australia to host the Gold 104.3 breakfast show in Melbourne. Christian started his new show on Melbourne's Gold 104.3 on Monday 4 June 2018. The current presenters include Christian O'Connell, Craig Huggins, Toni Tenaglia and Gavin Miller.
