Finding Her Voice

Kaley-Jade Baker’s Rise on Air

By Amanda Wright

A life that might have gone off the rails has instead found its megaphone.

Kaley-Jade Baker’s rise from a fractured childhood to one of regional radio’s most compelling voices is a study in grit, reinvention and the redemptive power of community — and this year her work has been rewarded in the only currency that matters in broadcasting: listeners.

Come survey day at ARN’s Star FM in Mackay, staff were stunned to learn the station had climbed to the top across the board. Kaley’s afternoon show was the biggest story of all — up an extraordinary 19 points to a 39.5 share, with an additional 94,000 listeners tuning in. For a presenter who arrived in regional radio almost by accident, the numbers confirmed what locals had already been saying: people want authentic local voices.

Her path to that sound has not been straightforward. Born in Dubbo and moving to Brisbane at 12, Kaley drifted between cities and identities through her teens. A family tragedy — the death of her sister when Kaley was young — forced adult responsibilities on her while leaving a lasting fissure of grief.

“My mum never really coped after that,” Kaley recalls.

“I felt like I had to step into the parent role, but I was still just a kid. I was hurting too, and I didn’t always make the best choices.”

By her teenage years, she admits she was heading down the wrong path.

“I had family members who weren’t exactly role models, and I was mixing with the wrong crowd. It was getting bad. Really bad.”

That trajectory changed thanks to one decisive act of love. Kaley’s aunty invited her to Mackay for what Kaley thought was a Christmas holiday — but it was really an intervention.

“She rang my mum and said, ‘She’s not coming back. Consider it boarding school,’” Kaley says with a smile. Enrolled at Holy Spirit, stranded without a licence on her aunt’s property, she suddenly had structure. She also had horses.

“Horses became therapy for me,” Kaley explains.

“They gave me purpose, routine, something outside myself to focus on. I honestly don’t think I’d be the person I am today without that time in Mackay — or without her. She saved my life.”

That grounding gave Kaley the resilience to chase opportunities that came later — though she never imagined radio would be one of them.

“It wasn’t even on my radar. I was working at a uni as an executive assistant when someone said, ‘We need a presenter for the student news — she talks underwater, let’s throw her in.’ I’d never done anything like it, but somehow I nailed it. And suddenly, I’d found something I didn’t know I’d been looking for.”

Radio soon became a passion. Kaley worked her way through community stations, the ABC and regional commercial networks, learning the craft from the ground up. By the time she returned to Mackay, she had discovered not just a career but a calling.

“There’s a difference between a job and a career,” she says.

“When I walked into a radio studio, I just knew — this is where I’m meant to be.”

Listeners have felt it too. This year, survey results showed Kaley’s afternoon show has skyrocketed, pulling in tens of thousands of listeners across Mackay and Townsville.

“That’s what I love most about radio — it’s one-on-one. It’s me talking to you,” she says.

“And I think people respond to that honesty. They want to hear from someone who gets what it’s like to live here.”

Off air, her creativity doesn’t stop. From promotions and giveaways to product launches and community events, Kaley thrives on connection.

“It’s not just about being in the studio,” she says.

“It’s about being part of the community and bringing that energy back on air.”

Her effervescent personality — once dismissed by some as “too much” — is now her greatest asset.

“I’ve always been loud, passionate, full-on,” she laughs.

“For a long time, people told me to tone it down. But honestly? That’s who I am. That energy is what’s carried me here.”

And it’s carrying her further still. Kaley recently appeared on Channel Nine’s Tipping Point and has already auditioned for Big Brother.

“It would be a lifelong dream come true to make it on the show,” she says.

For now, her focus remains on the people of Mackay and the Whitsundays, who have embraced her as one of their own.

“This place gave me a second chance,” Kaley reflects.

“I don’t take that for granted. Every time I go on air, I want people to feel like they’ve got a mate riding shotgun with them. Because that’s what radio is — it’s personal, it’s real, and it’s powerful.”

From grief and chaos to ratings and recognition, Kaley’s story is one of survival and reinvention. But more than anything, it’s about voice — the voice she nearly lost, and the one she now shares with thousands every afternoon.

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Kaley-Jade Baker brings her vibrant energy to the airwaves, connecting with listeners across Mackay and the Whitsundays. Photos supplied

Kaley with Todd Woodbridge, host of Tipping Point Australia, ahead of her appearance on the show

Kaley as MC for the Just Saying Project's 2025 Women's Awards, showcasing her commitment to community support

Kaley finds solace and purpose in horseback riding, a therapeutic outlet that played a pivotal role in her personal journey.

A young Kaley, a country girl who found her voice in the big smoke

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