Colin Buchanan heading to Perth

March 17, 2011
by Rodney Olsen
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This morning on my radio programme I spoke to a guy who was born in Dublin then moved to Melbourne at the age of six and then Sydney, before going bush as a young man.

In the years since, Colin Buchanan has won nine Golden Guitar awards, and has written songs with Lee Kernaghan, Adam Brand, Adam Harvey, Troy Cassar-Daley and many others.

He’s one of Australia’s most treasured singer-songwriters. His Christmas album, recorded with Greg Champion, has become an Australian classic, in particular his Aussie Jingle Bells, which is regularly heard at end-of-year school concerts and Carols by Candlelights.

All that, plus appearances as a regular on ABC TV’s Playschool and various other television and radio programmes.

Colin Buchanan is a 9-times Golden Guitar winner, an APRA and ARIA award winner with career album and DVD sales that stand in excess of 240,000 units. A regular on national TV and radio for over 15 years, a leading children’s entertainer, award-winning singer/songwriter and highly sought after co-writer, #1 selling Christian artist, genial host… Colin Buchanan is a hard man to pin down!

If you listened to any one of his five authentically insightful Australian country albums you’d likely deem him an acoustic singer songwriter par excellence, with his sharp eye, keen wit and rare talent for capturing the people, stories and scenery of the bush in song. The Sydney Morning Herald has declared him “…simply the best singer/songwriter to emerge in the Australian CM scene in the last decade.” Besides his own substantial body of self-recorded work, Colin has contributed to a swag of hits in the collective repertoires of Australia’s most successful CM stars, including Lee Kernaghan, Troy Cassar-Daley, Melinda Schneider, Adam Brand and Beccy Cole.

He’ll be in Perth for a series of concerts early next month so I took the opportunity to catch up with Colin Buchanan during my programme today.

You can click the play button on the audio player at the bottom of this post to hear what Colin had to say.

[audio:http://mpegmedia.sonshinefm.ws/feeds/MOR170311_1111.mp3]

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Two Wheels One Mission

March 17, 2011
by Rodney Olsen
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Cosmos HealthCare is a Christian health and development organisation that values people and their right to be treated with dignity and equality regardless of their social status, race, religion or politics. Their aim is to provide quality, compassionate health services for underprivileged people across the world.

They are currently working to set up a mobile health service in rural Zimbabwe. To help raise funding for the project they’re organising a motor bike ride from Perth to York on the 10th of April. Those participating will be in the running to win a trip for two to the Australian MotoGP on Phillip Island, including flights, accommodation and VIP tickets. The event is titled Two Wheels One Mission. If you’re not a motor bike rider you can still purchase raffle tickets to be in the draw for the MotoGP prize and other prizes.
This morning during my radio programme I spoke to the Executive Director of Cosmos HealthCare, Jason James. You can hear about the vital work they’re doing by clicking the play button on the audio player at the bottom of this post.

[audio:http://mpegmedia.sonshinefm.ws/feeds/MOR170311_1042.mp3]

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Freeway Bike Hike 2011

March 15, 2011
by Rodney Olsen
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Freeway Bike HikeIf you’re in the Perth area it’s time to dust off your bicycle and get ready for the annual ride up the freeway to raise money for the Asthma Foundation of Western Australia.

This Sunday morning the southbound lanes of the freeway will be closed to cars as bicycles of all descriptions take over the road for an amazing community event, the Freeway Bike Hike for Asthma.

Cyclists will have a choice of distances to cover. For the keen there’s the 60km ride from Kwinana Train Station. The original 30km ride through the Tunnel from Belmont Park Racecourse is generally the most popular choice with a 10km family ride starting at the Greenwood Train Station. All three rides finish in the City of Joondalup where there’ll be plenty of food, drink, music, prizes, entertainment, and a whole lot more.

The inaugural event was held in March 2005. It was created as a unique fundraising event for the Asthma Foundation of Western Australia and has evolved into WA’s largest mass participation cycling event. After six years it is now a regular fixture on the WA sports and community calendar and in 2010 more than $113,000 was raised!

Now entering its seventh year, the annual HBF Freeway Bike Hike for Asthma will launch the 26th Cycle Instead Bikeweek 2011 – the State’s annual week-long celebration of recreational and commuter cycling. The HBF Freeway Bike Hike for Asthma is Western Australia’s largest single day cycling event and the third largest cycling event in Australia. With more than 8,500 participants in 2010 the Asthma Foundation of Western Australia is expecting great things in 2011.

I’ll be helping out on the day starting at Belmont to announce the start of that part of the event. I’ll then head to Joondalup where I’ll take on the duties of MC for various presentations.

If you’re taking part make sure you look out for me around the main stage area in Joondalup. I’d love to say hello.

If you’re a motorist who’s wondering how the ride will affect you, here are the road closures.

Kwinana Freeway

* Southbound lanes will be closed from Mitchell Freeway to Thomas Road from 4am until 9:30am.

Graham Farmer Freeway

* Eastbound lanes (including the Tunnel eastbound) will be closed from 4am until 10am.
* Eastbound lanes will be closed from the Mitchell Freeway to Great Eastern Highway during these hours.

Mitchell Freeway

* Southbound lanes will be closed from Burns Beach Road to Perth from 4am until 12pm (noon).

City of Joondalup

* Hodges Drive (eastbound) from the Mitchell Freeway will be closed from 4am until 2pm
* The intersection of Joondalup Drive and Grand Boulevard will be closed from 4am until 2pm.
* Grand Boulevard will be closed from the intersection of Joondalup Drive to Shenton Avenue from 4am until 2pm



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My Glamorous Media Life

March 12, 2011
by Rodney Olsen
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Working in the media is such a glamorous life.

The picture below shows me at work yesterday at the Wagin Woolorama. I broadcast my morning radio programme surrounded by sheep and alpacas. I ended up a little dusty, as did the broadcast gear.

I’ve heard about the Woolorama for years and always wanted to visit. Yesterday was my opportunity to finally be part of the event. I spoke to some very interesting people and only wish that I could have stayed longer. We drove down to Wagin very early in the morning and headed back to Perth a short while after my on-air duties finished.

Next year will be the 40th annual Wagin Woolorama and I’m hoping that one way or another I’ll get to visit the iconic event again.



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Wagin Woolorama

March 10, 2011
by Rodney Olsen
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It’s the premier sheep show of Western Australia and I’ll be there tomorrow broadcasting my morning radio programme on 98.5 Sonshine FM.

The Wagin Woolorama is on tomorrow and Saturday, the 11th and 12th of March, and is one of Western Australia’s largest Agricultural Shows.

Woolorama – what is in the name?

Wagin Woolorama came in to being in 1972. After a trip to Dowerin Field Days, in those days Dowerin was just machinery demonstrated in a paddock, Malcolm Edward from the Wagin Agricultural Society realised that Wagin needed to have its own feature.

The strength of Wagin was in its Merino and Wool industry. A competition for school children was held and two boys came up with the same name. Peter Jenkin (9) and Mark English (10) both suggested the name Woolorama and they won $5.00 for their efforts when The Wagin Agricultural Show became Wagin Woolorama.

Wagin is a town and shire in the Great Southern region of Western Australia, approximately 225 km south-east of Perth, between Narrogin and Katanning. Its main industries are wheat and sheep farming. I’ve cycled through Wagin a few times, including the rides raising funds for the Cancer Council Western Australia last year and in 2009.

Along with all the thrills and excitement of sideshow alley and commercial operators, Woolorama also offers a range of free entertainment for our patrons’ enjoyment.

Our feature entertainment aims to provide something for all tastes and age groups, and includes live music, creative performances, interactive workshops and engaging education. While we source our performers from far and wide, Woolorama is proud to showcase the talents of local and regional performers and has assisted in the launching of many successful careers.

In 2011, Woolorama is proud to promote the “Go for 2 fruit and 5 veg” message, supported by Healthway and the Cancer Council of WA for the fourth year. Through this partnership, the Wagin Agricultural Society has worked towards a smoke-free status across the showgrounds – a first for 2011!

I’m looking forward to getting to Wagin and finally being there during the Woolorama.



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