Music moves in to new room

ALBANY’S newest live music venue will be more “show than gig” and more “Hi-fi than PA” according to its coordinator and general music aficionado Geoff Waldeck.

Tucked down the back of Six Degrees bar, the new 6dLIVE room will offer a boutique live music experience in an intimate setting and will quench the thirst for the growing demand for quality visiting acts.

As the finishing touches were being applied to the room’s bespoke lighting and sound, The Weekender had a quick sneak peek and got the run-down on the concept from Waldeck and Six Degrees licensee Anton Davey.

“When we built the place, it was designed around the idea of catering for musicians and artists,” Davey said.

“This will be a unique place for soloists, duos and small bands to per- form. We just want to see live music flourish and there isn’t really a small venue in town like this.”

Davey’s right-hand man in the project, Waldeck, said the room will fit 150 people standing or 70 seated and is all about providing a quality sound to go with the quality of talent he has booked.

“We’ve already tested the room as we’ve been treating it acoustically, and it’s going to be pretty nice. There is no [sound] spill between the room and the rest of the bar,” Waldeck said.

6dLIVE will be officially launched when it hosts alternative folk artist Riley Pearce on Friday, April 6 ahead of his UK tour, although it will get a test-run on Easter Saturday when local outfit Pinstripe take to the stage sans bass player to put the room through its paces.

Tickets are available for Pearce’s April 6 show through the Six Degrees Facebook page.

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‘Major events covered’

POLICE have assured the people of Albany that large gatherings are adequately covered, despite a senior City official telling a Parliamentary inquiry that more than one event at a time would stretch the ability of law enforcers to combat an act of terrorism.

In his written submission to State Parliament’s Inquiry into the Protection of Crowded Places from Terrorist Acts, City of Albany governance and risk manager Stuart Jamieson said it was “unknown” whether the powers and resources of WA Police would be adequate to deal with terrorism.

“… however, for the City of Albany, being a regional centre, more than one large event occurring at any one time would stretch local resources,” Mr Jamieson advised the inquiry on February 21.

“For example, for RaceWars 2018, WAPOL Albany have dedicated two uniform officer[s] for the whole event.”

When told of Mr Jamieson’s submission, officer-in-charge of Albany Police Grant Pollard said he could not comment on how many police were deployed at the Racewars meet held at Albany Airport earlier this month, because the amount of police presence was an “operational matter”.

Senior Sergeant Pollard did however stress that policing resources in Albany were adequate to cover major events.

“We can reassure the public [that] any major events that do occur can be adequately resourced either locally by the Albany police, or [from] further resources from within the Great Southern district to ensure community safety is maintained at all times,” he told The Weekender.

“At all times, the community’s not put at any greater risk than can be avoided.

“Given the number of events and the degree of severity and the timeframe of escalation, there would always be appropriate resources available.”

Mr Jamieson submitted to the inquiry that events conducted or approved by the City must have a risk management plan.

He added that good intelligence sharing between the WA police force and event organisers was one part of achieving best practice in protecting crowded places from terrorism.

He regarded a four-pronged strategy adopted by the United Kingdom in 2010 – that incorporates the principles of pursuing terrorists, preventing people becoming or supporting terrorists, protecting against attacks and preparing to mitigate the impact of attack – as a best practice model.

The inquiry, chaired by Member for Hillarys Peter Katsambanis, is now taking evidence. It is set to report in November.

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Dolphin makes splash

AMIDST graphic design, illustrations, photography and his day job as production manager with The Weekender, Mt Barker artist Andy Dolphin finds time to oil up his canvas and produce stunning life-like representations of the Great Southern.

Two of his recent artworks, Rural Morn and Organised Chaos, won first-class recognitions at last weekend’s Wagin Woolorama.

Rural Morn, an image of an aged shed near his property, won first place in Class 1 – Oil or Acrylic, and Organised Chaos, a depiction of a white gum tree, won the Woolorama President’s Award.

Dolphin was surprised to hear of his win when he received a phone call Friday evening.

“It was great to win. I haven’t entered in four or so years,” he said.

“I always enjoy Wagin; there’s always quality work and they don’t shy away from traditional works.”

Dolphin’s winning works slot into the plein air genre, which is the main area he dabbles in, both during his own time and his Thursday morning adventures with the Albany Plein Air Group.

“I love the great outdoors. I always tend towards rural for my art,” he said.

“When it’s just me, I’ll just get into my car and go; I look for interesting shapes and different light and shade.”

The next project on Dolphin’s agenda is participating with the Albany Plein Air Group in the Southern Art and Craft Trail set for September 15 to 30.

You can keep up to date on Dolphin’s movements and check out his gallery of the Great Southern online at andydolphin.com.au.

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Albany to draw first Breath

FORMER Albany boy and acclaimed author Tim Winton’s book Breath has been adapted for the big screen and fans can get an early sneak peek at the film next month.

Breath was filmed in Denmark and follows the story of two teenage boys growing up in a small coastal town, who form an unlikely friendship with a mysterious surfer who pushes the boys to take risks.

Director and actor Simon Baker, Winton, and lead actors Samson Coulter and Ben Spence will appear at the premiere WA screening at the Albany Entertainment Centre on April 21, and the community screening on location in Denmark on April 22.

In an interview with Cinema Australia, Baker said he felt privileged to take Breath and “hand deliver” it to Australian audiences.

“I’m especially thrilled to be returning to the Great Southern region of WA, to share and celebrate with those communities who welcomed us so warmly, and contributed with great spirit to the making of Breath,” he said.

“It’s their film.”

Tickets to the early screenings can be found at cinemaaustralia.com.au.

Breath will be released in cinemas on May 3.

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Railways semi-favourites

RAILWAYS will head into Saturday’s Albany Cricket Association A-grade semi-final clash with Manypeaks as clear favourites following a dominating display with the ball on the weekend that saw them roll North County for just 83 runs.

The Tigers’ win brought a premature end to North County’s season, as the Bulldogs’ hopes of progressing into the finals hinged on defeating Railways and Denmark beating Collingwood Park.

In Saturday’s match, North County needed the recent form of veteran Craig Tonkin to continue if they were to pose a threat, but when he was dismissed for two runs and Michael Ferreira for six from the bowling of Mitchell Thomson, County’s heads were in their hands.

Fortunately, there were two more Ferreiras to offer resistance, with Matthew combining with his father Neil to rebuild the innings.

The pair took the total to 2-64, before Railways skipper Zane Marwick took control with the ball and started a collapse that saw County lose eight wickets for 18 runs.

Marwick claimed three wickets to get his eye in before the finals, but fell short with the bat when he was bowled for just seven as the Tigers began their brief chase of County’s 83-run total.

The Tigers are persisting with Tim Edmunds at the top of the order with his ability to slowly wear the shine off the new ball.

He fell just short of double figures, contributing nine runs before Nathan Crudeli and Matt Walters got the job done.

The pair each played patiently to see out the run chase, but punished anything that was off target from North County’s bowlers.

Crudeli brought up the winning runs on his way to 39 not out, while Walters looked solid, notching up 21 not out.

Manypeaks will no doubt be quick to shrug off their last-ball loss to Mount Barker on the weekend and refocus on a plan to conquer Railways’ batting depth and bowling attack.

They would have fancied their chances after dismissing the Bulls for 157 in Saturday’s match, with a four-wicket effort from Harry Broomhall the highlight from the spread of bowlers.

In their response to Mt Barker’s total, the loss of cheap wickets was offset by several key partnerships which kept Manypeaks in the game.

A 36-run stand from evergreen veteran Jeremy Stewart got them within striking distance of the Bulls’ total, but a calamitous fall of wickets, including one from the final delivery of the day, left them one run short at 9-156.

Despite underdog status in Saturday’s semi-final with Railways, Manypeaks at least got a preview of the pressure they need to absorb if they are to threaten Railways.

In the remaining A-grade match, Nathan Dovey and his bat blasted Collingwood Park into fourth place on the ladder and an unlikely finals berth, considering their slow start to the season.

Dovey made 67 as Park chased down Denmark’s respectable 212-run total, that was could have fallen short had it not been for 69 runs from Michael Pratt, batting at number seven.

Park will play Mt Barker in their semi-final and will need to get on top of the Bulls batting line-up early.

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A journey through time

WITH the sound of gentle waves lapping up against the nearby rocks and the grand Cheynes IV as their backdrop, The Albany Shantymen took audiences on a journey through time with their voices last Thursday night to commemorate the final season of whaling at Albany’s Historic Whaling Station.

The sun made a glorious afternoon appearance as concert-goers settled into their chairs or on their picnic rugs, but ducked behind the clouds just in time for the 6pm start, giving people on the far side of the makeshift venue a chance to watch the concert without shielding their eyes.

Content with their sausage sizzles, ice creams and snacks, the audience was raring to go as the Shantymen took to the stage.

Their deep, rumbling harmonies and infectious merriment made it irresistible to tap your toes and bob your head through their songs about sailing, whaling, women and beer.

The cheeky remarks thrown back and forward between songs added to the charm of the blokey band, and gave audiences a few extra giggles along the way.

Despite tackling a more sombre topic – the whaling history of Albany – The Albany Shantymen made the commemorative concert light, digestible and fun for all.

A long day at the office was worth dealing with, to be rewarded with these gents’ talented voices on the beach at sunset (well… close to the beach).

2018 marks 40 years since the last whaling season in Albany and this milestone will be celebrated throughout the year with various events and activities at Albany’s Historic Whaling Station.

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Celebs test market

COOKING celebrities Justine Schofield and Anna Gare popped into Denmark’s Rockcliffe Winery Night Market on Friday to show off their culinary skills as part of their Taste Great Southern tour.

Before taking to the stage, the talented ladies caught up with The Weekender for a glass of wine and a giggle or two.

The TV personalities are no stranger to Taste Great Southern; Ms Schofield took part a few years ago and couldn’t resist coming back, and Ms Gare has already participated in the 2018 trail, demonstrating at the Porongurup Wine Festival on the long weekend.

“I absolutely adored it,” Ms Gare said of the recent wine festival.

“It’s a beautiful start to the Taste Great Southern.”

Ms Gare said she was eager to get around to the other Taste events, and get her hands on some of the region’s local produce, including Denmark grass-fed lamb, Peaceful Bay seafood, marron and fresh produce from the Albany Farmer’s Market.

“That’s what I love about the festival, there are so many satellite events,” she said.

“That’s the beauty of the Great Southern; you’re always exploring new places and finding hidden gems.”

Ms Schofield had a busy weekend planned, heading to the Albany Farmer’s Market on Saturday and The Lake House Denmark on Sunday for the cooking and sundowner by the lake events.

“I love this festival,” she said.

“I can really immerse myself in what this place has to offer.”

One of the major events next on the Taste Great Southern menu is the Albany Wine and Food Festival at Eyre Park this Saturday from 11.30am to 5.30pm.

There’s plenty on before and well after this festival, so be sure to check out tastegreatsouthern.com. au to see what’s next.

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Eagles fly into Flinders

FLINDERS PARK students got a surprise visit from AFL legends on Tuesday as part of the West Coast Eagles’ school tour promoting wellbeing.

Ex-North Melbourne superstar-turned-Eagle Drew Petrie watched on from the sidelines of the school assembly area with a grin, as students bounced in their seats awaiting the presentation to start.

The students’ excited chirping continued as they joined West Coast Eagles community development officer Bradd Dalziell in chanting Rick the Rock’s name, to coax him out from the stage curtains and on to the stage.

Mr Dalziell led an engaging discussion on physical, emotional and social wellbeing, with Rick the Rock providing just the right amount of cheeky entertainment to keep the kids focused.

During Petrie’s question time, he confirmed that local Albany boy Declan Mountford had made a great start to his career with North Melbourne, having played alongside him for a year.

“He’s really hard working and he’s very professional,” he said of Mountford.

“He’s someone you can trust too, which is a great trait to have.”

The West Coast Eagles will face Sydney Swans at Optus Stadium for their first match of the season on March 25.

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Coffee, meal and five-star feel at Frenchies

WHETHER a $10 million boutique retreat at Frenchman Bay with cafe, kiosk and shop gets the go-ahead will be decided by a State-convened development assessment panel and not the City of Albany.

A 510-page planning application for the Frenchman Bay Retreat, prepared by Harley Dykstra Pty Ltd on behalf of land-owner MTK Ventures Pty Ltd, confirms the resort is too economically valuable to be considered by the city alone.

Earlier this year, The Weekender (‘Developers’ picnic at Frenchies’, 11/1/2018) revealed the project was back on the table after a slightly larger development was canned in 2015.

Back then, 46 letters of support had been received by the city.

But 28 objectors resisted the size of the resort, plans to include permanent housing, or arrangements for sewage treatment.

Now, plans first advertised on Tuesday show 24 two-floor villas (five fewer than originally proposed), on-site sewage treatment, and no permanent residences.

Harley Dykstra advises the retreat – on the site of the defunct Frenchman Bay Caravan Park – would benefit residents of Goode Beach, and greater Albany.

“The proposed café, kiosk and shop will provide increased convenience to the residents of nearby Goode Beach to purchase daily staples including milk and bread,” the planning firm argues.

“Improved amenity will be provided to beach users and tourists, who will be able to purchase drinks, picnic items and sun screen.

“Guests, tourists, locals and the general public will also be able to enjoy a quality coffee and meal from this exceptional location overlooking King George Sound.”

Each two-floor, 208sqm villa would have three bedrooms, a bathroom, ensuite, laundry, TV room, dining room, two lounge rooms, 40sqm double garage, and majestic views over the bay.

The gated project will include a playground, parking spaces for boats and caravans, and circular pathway connecting to an existing stairway from the elevated site down to Whalers Beach.

When contacted by The Weekender, Vancouver Ward councillors Tracy Sleeman and John Shanhun declined to comment on the plans.

The people of Albany can comment direct to the city until April 3.

After that, the city will prepare a report for the Southern Joint Development Assessment Panel.

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Short season puts squeeze on vineyards

WINEMAKERS of the Great Southern region are closing in on the arduous task of harvesting their grapes as the picking season comes to an unusually early finish.

With some wineries having already finished their harvest well before the expected end of season in late April, some producers have said this season has been the shortest in recent memory.

Albany’s Wignalls Wines are expecting to finish their harvest by the end of the week.

“So far, the season is looking like an absolute beauty with really good yields,” owner and winemaker Rob Wignall said.

“Our traditionally later varieties have ripened earlier than normal, which is causing our harvest time to be compressed and a lot of pressure put on our storage resources.”

Mr Wignall reported his grapes generally had balanced acids and a slightly higher sugar content; however, with the threat of disease and bunch rot in his crop, Mr Wignall hasn’t wasted time harvesting.

“I would say this has been the shortest and sharpest harvest season we’ve had in our history,” he said.

“It has been exhausting picking in the wee hours of the morning when it’s coolest, but we’re pretty happy overall.”

In the Mount Barker region, Galafrey Wines’ CEO Kim Tyrer said they had completed harvest for all of their white varieties.

“Our yields have been pretty mixed this year, with some varieties doing really well and others not too good,” she said.

“Our season definitely started earlier than last year’s and will be really short, with our red varieties nearly ready to come off the vine.

“I think our vintage will be over quite early. It will be interesting to see if we have anything left after the Easter break.”

“With everything coming off pretty close together we’re getting a lot of pressure on our storage,” she said.

‘It’s coming off thick and fast, that’s for sure.”

Denmark winery Rockcliffe also reported a higher threat of disease this season, with high humidity and the risk of wet weather threatening fungal blooms and mildew.

“Our volume is going to be a bit smaller this year since we’ve had to drop fruit, but I’m confident our quality is there,” Rockcliffe CEO Steve Hall said.

“We’ve had a lot of disease pressure with the weather not being kind to us.

“But we should have all our harvest done by the end of the week.”

In comparison, Porongurup vineyard Zarephath has reported longer ripening times with a slightly longer harvesting time.

Zarephath owner and winemaker Rosie Singer said yields were larger than last year’s season.

Ms Singer attributed the large yield to the late spring and early summer rain last year, which has shown promising fruit for their Pinot Noir.

“The Pinot is doing really well and is always an anticipated wine for us,” she said.

Frankland River’s Alkoomi are also taking longer to harvest their grapes, with owner and vineyard manager Rod Hallett stating that it would still be another three to four weeks until their harvest would be complete.

“We’ve had a pretty awesome season this year,” he said.

“We started a bit earlier this year, but everything is on par with its standard.”

Mr Hallett said the drier weather in Frankland River had spared the vineyard from any issues with disease this year.

“I’m sure other wineries in the Frankland region would be experiencing the same,” he said.

“Frankland is pretty reliable with its weather and its grapes.”

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