EVENTS DIARY

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 13 & SUNDAY FEBRUARY 14
Leeuwin Estate Winery, Margaret River, returns to the ‘great legends’ genre for the 26th annual Leeuwin Concert Series. Michael McDonald, a five-time Grammy-winner and hit maker Boz Scaggs, join forces for a show that will delight their audience.

The two longtime friends, Michael McDonald and Boz Scaggs, will each perform from their extensive catalogues heavy with hits which include “Lowdown,” “Lido Shuffle,” “We’re All Alone,” “Sweet Freedom,” “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” and many more.

McDonald has been a fixture in American pop music for over three decades. After emerging out of the local scene in his hometown of St. Louis, he first came into the spotlight as part of Steely Dan’s touring band in the early 1970s. He contributed vocals and keyboards to the band’s classic albums Katy Lied, The Royal Scam, Aja, and Gaucho. While working with Steely Dan, McDonald also joined the Doobie Brothers, where his voice became the group’s focal point on such songs as “Takin’ It to the Streets,” “Minute by Minute,” and, unforgettably, the Number One single “What a Fool Believes,” which won the 1980 Grammy as Song of the Year.

Scaggs began his solo recording career in 1969, with an eponymous album for Atlantic Records that features members of the famed Muscle Shoals rhythm section. That album has achieved a kind of legendary cult status for the extended blues foray “Loan Me A Dime”. Scaggs is a multi-dimensional singer whose 1976 album ‘Silk Degrees’ was one of the landmark pop titles of the decade. That album spawned several hit singles (“Lowdown,” “Lido Shuffle,” “Georgia,” “We’re All Alone” and “It’s Over”), reached number 2 on the Billboard album chart, and eventually sold over 4 million copies. It also brought Scaggs a Grammy award: “Lowdown,” which was voted Best R&B song.

With two of the music industry’s greatest performers in a special double billed Leeuwin Concert, this promises to be a night to remember! Guests are welcome to stay after the main performance to enjoy the party atmosphere and dance to the post concert entertainment.

Order Forms have been posted to those who had registered on the Leeuwin mailing list. Order forms for any remaining tickets will be available to download from www.leeuwinestate.com.au on Friday October 2.

OPEN DAY for the DONOVAN STREET BUSHLAND, AUGUSTA

The large tract of bushland at the entrance to Augusta is known locally as “Augusta’s Kings Park” and a petition presented to the Shire of Augusta-Margaret River to preserve it in 2003 had over 1000 signatures.

Since then, the Shire has moved to change its listing in the Town Planning Scheme from ‘Development’ to ‘Parks and Recreation’ but it needs to be vested as part of the National Estate for its future to be secure.

The Environmental Research Group Augusta was established in 2005, at the urging of the late Owen Jones – then President of the Augusta Community Development Association (ACDA). ERGA’s first urgent task was to carry out a biodiversity survey of the bushland in order to convince both the Shire and Government that the land was worth saving.

The survey found that the bushland is extraordinarily rich, with 213 species of native plants (including 40 orchids), 118 species of fungi, 7 confirmed resident mammal species, 46 species of birds and 6 species of frogs, plus many lizards and invertebrates. (Pigmy possum at right.)

The 83 hectare site is minimally impacted by weeds. They are restricted to the margins, along walk trails and in the hospital dumpsite.

As well as providing recreation to locals, the bushland forms an important wildlife corridor between other remnant areas in Augusta and the Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park.

ERGA is hosting an “Open Day” on Saturday October 31st with a sausage sizzle, guided tours and the results announced of an Art Competition by students of Augusta’s Primary School – inspired by the Donovan Street bushland.

Presentations by ERGA scientists of the bushland’s plant and animal biodiversity commence at 12 noon in the Augusta Yacht Club with lunch at 1pm.
E/Prof Don Bradshaw
President,
Environmental Research Group Augusta (ERGA)