Finding a New Way

cadent_1_small.jpgI guess I have to come to terms with the fact that I may never see ‘dog guy’ again.

With our change in studio location this week I now have a very different ride to and from work each day. 98.5 Sonshine FM has relocated to a brand new building in Como, a suburb of Perth. My daily cycling distance has gone from just under 13 kilometres to around 42 kilometres.

I’m loving the extra time on the bike, especially with the perfect weather we’ve been having, but I guess I’ll have to get used to seeing a whole new group of people as I ride. When you go the same way at the same time each day you get to see many of the same faces like the guy who exercises his dog in the park every morning before he drives off in his truck for the day. I’ve never met him, which is why I refer to him simply as ‘dog guy’, but we give – or should I say gave – each other a hearty way and hello each day.

The new ride takes me along a number of really good bike paths so I can forget about traffic and just ride. Brilliant.

Part of my commute takes me along the Swan River. It’s wonderful to see so many people enjoying our magnificent waters. There are cyclists, walkers, joggers and sightseers using the pathways beside the river, overlooking the bird life and boat life on the water.

When I get beyond all the busyness of the move I’ll take some photos along the daily ride so you can see just how good it really is.



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The show continues

Rodney_and_Trumpet.jpgI’m not convinced that I could eat an ice cream that size all at once … but I’d give it a fairly good try.

I’m about to head off for my third day at this year’s Perth Royal Show. It’s day four of the show but I had Sunday off. I’m broadcasting my radio programme on 98.5 Sonshine FM from the show all week.

I may get a little damp on my ride today. There are a few showers about but I’m hoping I won’t arrive too soggy. The ride distance more than triples my regular daily commuting distance so I’m loving the extra cycling.

The broadcast has been fun so far with lots to see and talk about and it’s a welcome change from sitting inside a studio.

We’re broadcasting from a caravan just up the hill from sideshow alley and so we’re getting a lot of passing people traffic. If you’re heading to the show this week make sure you drop in and say hello. This Perth Royal Show map shows you exactly where to find us.



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Perth Royal Show 2008

It all gets underway this Saturday.

The Perth Royal Show begins at the Claremont Showgrounds from this Saturday the 27th of September until Saturday the 4th of October.

The Perth Royal Show is Perth’s biggest community event attracting 400 000 visitors from the city and the country every year. It has a history spanning 170 years and serves to showcase WA agriculture, small business and entertainment.

98.5 Sonshine FM will broadcast live from the show each day.

I’m really looking forward to presenting my morning programme from the show each day of next week as well as hosting both Saturday mornings.

I’ll have a range of interesting guests and will probably get involved in some weird situations. I may even end up broadcasting from the bumper cars, from the top of the ferris wheel or some other sideshow ride.

If you’re thinking of heading to the show this year, make sure you drop in to our broadcast caravan and say hello. We’ll be just up the hill from Sideshow Alley, across the road from the Cat Pavillion. Click on our Perth Royal Show map to see where to find us.



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Access 31 Closed Down

access31.jpgWhile their website is still trumpetting the secure digital future of Perth’s Access 31, the TV screen last night told a different story. I’m sure that the website will soon catch up with the news that Perth’s community television station has officially closed.

The difficult decision to shut down Access 31 was apparently made at a board meeting yesterday. At five o’clock yesterday afternoon normal programming made way for a “thank you and goodbye” message.

18th JUNE 1999 – 6th AUG 2008

ACCESS 31 THANKS ALL OUR LOYAL VIEWERS, SPONSORS & PROGRAM PROVIDERS FOR YOUR SUPPORT.

The station had secured half a million dollars in a rescue package from Perth businessman, Garry Baverstock, only a month ago but it is believed that after reports of Lotterywest withdrawing a $250 000 grant, Baverstock also decided to withdraw his offer.

It’s been reported that a number of Access 31 staff have recently resigned as the writing on the wall became clearer. CEO Andrew Brine revealed last week that he had also resigned for personal reasons after leading the station for 11 years.

I must admit that I wasn’t a big viewer of Access 31 but I did switch on every now and then and it’s a shame to see the station disappear. It’ll be interesting to see if any other community groups are able to resurrect the station.

Unfortunately television, even community television, is an extremely expensive business and it isn’t an easy task to fund such a costly venture.



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Giant Boab Tree Heads South

boab.jpgHave you heard that the plan to move an ancient boab tree to Perth has run into a few problems?

The tree apparently weighs almost three times as much as first thought. The bottle-shaped boab tree is being removed and transplanted 3 200 km from Warmun, in Western Australia’s Kimberley region, to Kings Park in the heart of Western Australia’s capital.

The 750 year old tree was estimated to weigh 14 tonnes. Instead, it was found to weigh a massive 37.2 tonnes. The project team has now found a bigger truck – a much bigger truck. The tree should arrive in Perth this weekend.

The tree is being moved due to roadworks in the area and it’s the first time that such a mature tree has been transported over such a distance.

Digging up the tree proved much harder than predicted too as it was embedded in granite rock, making removal extremely difficult.

They say that the boab is expected to live at least another 750 years after its journey and transplant. That’s not a bad innings for a tree. If I can get something to live for more than a couple of months in my garden I reckon I’m doing OK.



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