July marked the 60th anniversary of the launch of Brisbane’s third commercial station, TVQ0.
It was also the third station in the new Independent Television System — now known as Network Ten — following the launch of ATV0, Melbourne, and TEN10, Sydney.
While ATV0 and TEN10 both launched with big budget specials — the variety/comedy show This Is It! and the all-musical extravaganza TV Spells Magic, respectively — the Brisbane station did not follow suit. After months of test transmissions (starting in March, pictured below), its first day of official operation — 1 July 1965 — commenced in the late afternoon, including the local premiere of the Melbourne-based The Magic Circle Club and imported series The Adventures Of Captain Kidd, My Friend Flicka and Ivanhoe.
At 6.00pm, the station’s five-minute news bulletin included an official opening speech by Sir Alexander Murphy, chairman of Universal Telecasters Limited, licencee of TVQ0. Then it was back to more imported fare with Sargeant Bilko, The Flintstones, Baileys Of Balboa and Gunsmoke ahead of the channel’s first movie double — Roman Holiday and Apache Uprising.
Over the next six days, completing TVQ’s first week on-air, viewers were treated to new shows and some familiar titles snatched from its older rival channels, including Bewitched, Bonanza, Petticoat Junction, Laramie, The Ed Sullivan Show, Gilligan’s Island, Temple Houston and Kentucky Jones.
The channel’s connection to ATV0 led to other Melbourne-based programs, including pop music with Go!!, variety/talk show The Ray Taylor Show and highlights from the Victorian Football League, included in the schedule.
The first week of programs from TVQ0 is the latest addition to Classic TV Guides, and the first addition to the guides since 2023:
- Friday 2 July 1965 — BRISBANEÂ
- Saturday 3 July 1965 — BRISBANEÂ
- Sunday 4 July 1965 — BRISBANEÂ
- Monday 5 July 1965 — BRISBANEÂ
- Tuesday 6 July 1965 — BRISBANEÂ
- Wednesday 7 July 1965 — BRISBANEÂ
