Haralambos Anargyrou Kritharis, popularly known as Harry Crethar and a member of Radio KAA, is celebrating 40 years on radio. A friend of Harry’s, Marijaneta Tomašić, brought this remarkable milestone to our attention.

Kritharis has left an indelible mark on the Kytherian community, and has also made significant contributions to the broader Australian society. Kritharis was born in Piraeus Greece and migrated in February 1948 to Lismore NSW when I was 11 years old. His father Eric (Anargiros) Kritharis, nicknamed Balomenos (Μπαλομενος) or Patch, was born in Kythera in Karavas.

“We got our nickname Balomenos because when my grandfather, Vrettos Kritharis was born, he was born with a red mark on his face and Balomenos in Greek means to patch up,” Kritharis said.

He arrived in Australia in 1937 and Harry Kritharis settled in Lismore NSW in 1948 with his mother.

“I had not met my father until I was 11 years old and I couldn’t speak a word of English,” Kritharis said.

He left school in Lismore at the age of 15 and started working in his uncle’s cafe in Molesworth Street, Lismore. It was called Crethar’s Airconditioned Café. It was the first airconditioned café in Lismore.

“I worked for my uncle for a while then wanted to expand my horizons and worked in other cafes,” Kritharis said.

After working in cafes for five years he bought The Wonder Bar in 1956 from Spiros Coronakis, who 11 years later would become his father-in-law as Kritharis married his daughter, Maria.

“I guess you could say I married the girl next door because when Spiros Coronakis sold the The Wonder Bar to me, he opened a fruit shop right next door which is how Maria and I met,” Kritharis added.

He went into partnership with his father Eric Kritharis and worked at the Wonder Bar. The Wonder Bar was open for business for 24 years from 1956 until they sold the business in 1980. In 1980 they established Premier Picture Framing and Art Supplies in Lismore and operated until the horrific flood in 2022.

“This flood was the most devasting flood on record, the previous devastating flood was in 1974. We were highly supported by the locals in Lismore for 66 years,” Kritharis said.

In 1983 he was approached by Peter Carr who worked as the presenter of the Greek Radio program which he had been broadcasting for eight years.

“I have a great love and passion for music, so I could not refuse the offer,” Kritharis highlighted. The program has come a long way since its inception as a half-hour program once a week. Today, it is a thriving two-hour weekly program that has surpassed all expectations.

The program is live on air every Tuesday on 92.9 River FM Lismore, www.2ncr.org.au.

Kritharis said he was excited to celebrate his 40th year live on air.

“I’m happy to know my listeners have been putting up with me for this long, I am now 86 years old.”

“I have been married for 57 years to my beautiful wife Maria (nee Coronakes). I have 4 sons and 4 beautiful grandchildren.”