City Park Radio host Ben Wetselaar shares what his life is like off the air

You may not know his face, but you will likely recognise his voice, as Mr Wetselaar's dulcet tones have graced the airwaves on 103.7FM and 96.5FM, City Park Radio.

It wasn't a straight-line journey into broadcast, in fact Mr Wetselaar's path to the radio station is one that encompasses most of Australia.

Mr Wetselaar said he had fond memories of growing up listening to the likes of Radio Caroline in his home country of the Netherlands.

"I always wanted to be a DJ," he said.

"I grew up with pirate radio, radio stations that were on ships. We had one station about four miles off the Dutch coast, broadcasting in Dutch only and playing English and Dutch songs.

"That was in the 60s and I would have been around 12, 13."

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After moving to Queensland with his family at the age of 16, Mr Wetselaar was a merchant mariner and when those jobs dried up he began driving buses - something he still does to this day around Launceston.

"A friend of mine was driving buses out on the Darling Downs and said they were always looking for drivers so I started from there," he said.

"I've done a lot of tour work all around Australia.

"I used to listen to Ian McNamara on Sunday mornings and tick off places saying 'I've been there, been there, been there'."

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All the while, music remained close to his heart and you may even catch Mr Wetselaar playing the occasional gig with his blues outfit.

It was his passion for music that brought Mr Wetselaar to City Park Radio in 2003, and although he hadn't considered it he was invited to host the weekly Dutch language show.

He eventually transitioned to hosting breakfast shows and now hosts the Tuesday morning slot, and Mr Wetselaar said his approach hearkened back to the 1960s when things were slightly more fast and loose.

"I enjoy doing it, and hopefully the people on the other end listening are enjoying it too," he said.

"I just do everything off the cuff.

"I got told one day I sounded like a DJ of the 60s. I do the cardinal sin, talking over the tail end of a song when it's nearly finished and back-announce that song before going straight into the next one."

After two decades behind the microphone the volunteer DJ said there was a particular value in community radio.

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Not only could it help launch a young broadcaster's career, but also it gave the audience what they wanted.

"There's not as much talking as some of the commercial stations," Mr Wetselaar said.

"Wherever you go on the mainland in particular you've got two or three people doing breakfast. I think people are not interested and would rather hear music.

"Some of the fellas I work with say they listen to me in the morning because of that."

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When he's not behind the wheel of a bus, or behind the microphone at City Park Mr Wetselaar also puts in volunteer hours with Ambulance Tasmania as part of a Community Emergency Response Team.

He had taken some time off, but said he was ready to get back in the swing of things.

"I was gonna become a paramedic back in the 90s but I had to leave it," Mr Wetselaar said.

"My wife, who's a nurse, started doing volunteering in Longford on the Community Emergency Response Team.

"She said 'why don't you join me?' and I did. We were the only married couple in the North doing volunteering together."

Although many have heard his voice, paid him a bus fare or perhaps been given medical assistance, Mr Wetselaar said he was content to remain somewhat anonymous.

In fact, he said he could only remember one instance where somebody came up to him at the Kings Meadows shopping centre after recognising his voice.

Mr Wetselaar said it was not about being a local celebrity, rather he simply enjoyed giving time back to the community.

"I don't know if I've got a following or not, I just go out there and give something back to the community," he said.

"I'm not walking around saying 'Oh, look at me. Look at me'.

"That's just not me. You know, I just enjoy doing it."

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