Now, after 34 years on air, Ando has signed off for the final time, as he gives up the microphone and heads into a well earned retirement.

According to Ando, it wasn't a particularly hard decision to come to.

"I'm ready for it. My family was very supportive, probably more for it than I was," he said.

"I got a lot of support from the wife."

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Ando has been responsible for the breakfast show on 2VM every weekday morning as well as the Saturday morning sports program.

Away from the studio, he has been involved in a large number of community organisations and events, often behind the microphone as an MC.

"Getting out and working in the community was good," Ando said.

"Various functions, quiz night, emceeing various shows around the place, not just in Moree but in other communities from Narrabri to right across the area.

"I was involved in a little theatre group when I first came here and did a few plays, which was a nice to get involved in the community. That and sport."

Ando played cricket for the Renegades when he first came to Moree and when they folded he joined a team called Crippled Creek.

He also used to play for Boomi in the Barwin competition as well as playing for the Moree representative side.

Wherever he was, Ando wanted to be involved in the community as much as he could.

"If you're going to be a part of a community, you've got to get involved. You can't just do nothing," he said.

"Otherwise you'll not like the community and the community won't know you're there either."

His sports program was an innovation that he was particularly proud of, believing sport to be a "very important part of the social fabric" of the town.

"It was gratifying to have so many people involved in it," he said.

"It wasn't me, it wasn't my program. It was a program that belonged to the sporting bodies and those that contributed hopefully gained from it."

Throughout his 34 years on Moree radio, he's seen a few floods, which he said were always busy times but "good fun."

"It sees a great community with the floods and everybody does really come together in flood time, be it the various agencies or various councils or just people with accurate information that'll tell other people where the water is, where it's going and when it's likely to get there," he said.

Ando has also interviewed a number of big names throughout his career, including former prime minister Bob Hawke during his time in Mt Isa.

One that stands out for him, however, is Jimmy Little, an Aboriginal musician and actor who began is career back in the early 1950s.

"He was probably the nicest interview I ever did," Ando said.

"I mean, I've done a lot of nice interviews, a lot of very good interviews. Jimmy just made it so easy.

"He was an absolute delight to have in the studio, as have many others over the years."

Ando has picked up a number of community services awards over the years, including the Melvin Jones Fellowship, which is the highest award the Lions Club give out.

Not planning to leave Moree any time soon, he's now preparing to take up a teacher's aid position at Moree Christian School.

"I'm looking forward to discovering something people call a social life," Ando laughed.

"It wouldn't have happened as it did without the love and support of my wife who kept me fairly grounded and still does. I'll always appreciate her support."

He said he was grateful for the wider community including Moree, Narrabri and the surrounding villages.

"It's been great getting out there and working among them at various functions. It's always good fun," he said.

While he won't be behind the microphone every morning, Ando still plans to get involved in the community as much as he can.

"It's been a good journey. It comes to an end and it's time to get off the bus and go somewhere else," he said.

"I remember hearing Ian Chappell talking about retiring. Somebody asked him, 'how do you know when it's time to retire', and he said, 'when you're out in the field and you're wondering how long it is until the next lunch break or the end of play, you'll know it's time to retire.'

"I'm very happy with the career I had but no regrets in calling an end to it."