Countdown Studios — ABC Gore Hill, Sydney

The ABC television studios at Gore Hill in Sydney's north shore were home to Countdown, the legendary Australian music show that ran from 1974 to 1987. Hosted by Ian 'Molly' Meldrum, Countdown was the most important music program in Australian television history, breaking artists including INXS, Midnight Oil, Men at Work, and AC/DC to national audiences. The show's live performances and Meldrum's eccentric presenting style made it appointment viewing for a generation of Australians.

Countdown was more than a TV show — it was the engine room of the Australian music industry for over a decade. Being invited to perform on Countdown was the defining career moment for Australian artists, and international acts from Blondie to Duran Duran made the pilgrimage to Gore Hill to appear on the show. The annual Countdown Awards became the precursor to the ARIA Awards, and the show's influence on Australian popular culture is difficult to overstate.

The ABC vacated the Gore Hill studios in 2003, relocating to Ultimo in inner Sydney. The former studio complex has been redeveloped into a business park, though some of the original buildings remain. There is no public memorial or marker for Countdown at the site. The programme's legacy lives on through extensive ABC archives and regular retrospective broadcasts.