The Australian arts and broadcasting community is mourning the loss of Nadya Anderson, a pioneering radio figure and accomplished sculptor, who has died at the age of 73. Anderson passed away on November 17 following a long health battle with cancer.
A Trailblazer in Community Radio
Nadya Anderson was a powerhouse at Melbourne's influential community station, 3RRR (Triple R), in the late 1970s. She joined its forerunner, 3RMT, in 1978, a time when female voices were a rarity on Australian airwaves. Anderson quickly established herself as a behind-the-scenes force, becoming one of the station's first volunteer and music coordinators.
Her mission was clear: to get more women on the radio. Reflecting on that era in a later documentary, she recalled, "Commercial radio was totally male. If they had a woman on, it was to belittle her or make fun of her or treat her as a bit of fluff... Triple R [helped] change that." She credited the station with making an "unbelievable difference" to the industry's landscape.
From the Airwaves to the Art Studio
While working at 3RRR as an announcer, Anderson studied sculpture at RMIT University. In 1981, she left Australia for London to continue her art education. There, she met Nick Launay, the renowned English-born music producer famed for his work with Midnight Oil, Nick Cave's The Birthday Party, and INXS. The pair later married, had two children—Lee and Lana—and subsequently separated.
Anderson forged a successful career as a sculptor and maintained passions for salsa dancing and art throughout her life. Former 3RRR Chair Geoff King noted her enduring enthusiasm and unique personal style, calling her "a role model whose influence extends well beyond her years at the station."
Tributes from Colleagues and Family
Former colleagues announced her passing in an online tribute on Thursday. The management of 3RRR stated, "Our thoughts go out to her family and friends. Nadya was one of Triple R's first volunteer and music coordinators... and played a key role in getting women on-air. A true pioneer of her time."
Her former husband, Nick Launay, shared a moving tribute on Instagram. "I am sad to share that this past Monday: Nadya Anderson, the extraordinary mother of my 2 beautiful children, stepped into eternity and became a star lighting our sky," he wrote. Launay praised her knowledge and style, concluding, "I will look up into the sky, and always remember the most influential star I know: Nadya Anderson."
The station added, "Everyone at Triple R is eternally grateful for Nadya Anderson's part in making Triple R what it is today." Her legacy as a broadcaster who broke barriers and as a dedicated artist remains firmly etched in the cultural history of Melbourne and beyond.
