GateWAy Blog

We went on long beach walk today from Ledge Beach to Gull Rock.Gull Rock Beach named of course, because of the large number of Gulls found on the rock just off shore, one of whom Captain Kalgan thinks might have been Jonathan Livingstone! Gull Rock is 26k East of Albany. The water was a turquoise colour and we were tempted to jump in. Albany has some of the most stunning and pristine beaches in Australia if not the world. There are beaches for fishing, snorkelling, swimming, surfing and body boarding. Stay at HideAway Haven while in Albany and enjoy some time at the beach. We have facilities for washing bathers and towels at the end of a day at the beach.

Ledge Beach

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Creating local sustainable and resilient communities beyond oil dependent.

The Transition Town Initiative is simply a framework and process methodology that encourages and mobilises local residents to plan and implement strategies and activities that strengthen the resilience of their localities to withstand the shocks and challenges associated with peak oil and climate change.

It encourages communities to build upon important grassroots environmental and social capital building initiatives already in place, and create a coordinated range of projects leading to a collectively designed Energy Descent Action Plan. The Transition Initiative movement offers local communities an opportunity to create a positive, sustainable, resilient and socially connected future. (more…)

Great Southern Wine & Food Festival

The Great Southern Wine and Food Festival has moved to April and teamed up with the Harboursound Music Festival to produce a festival that takes advantage of the mild autumn weather and quality entertainment available in Albany at the time.

The major tasting event on Sunday 18 April showcases twenty of the best Great Southern wineries, regional produce and encore performances from some of the international and national entertainment provided through the Harboursound Music Festival.

‘We’ve moved the Festival from December to April to coincide with Harboursound,’ said Great Southern Wine Producers’ Association (GSWPA) Executive Officer John Gates, ‘this should give both Festivals a better chance of sustainability and help to turn autumn in the Great Southern into a really exciting Festival season’.

‘With Harboursound concerts and workshops and GSWPA member satellite events scheduled over the whole weekend, this will be a great weekend to be in Albany’, he said.

The Festival will be held in and around a large marquee on the Grassy Knoll in central Albany on Sunday 18 April. Details are available from www.greatsouthernwines.com.au.

What would you like to see in York Street on a Saturday afternoon,
when the sun is shining and you have nothing much to do except window shop, scout for an elusive cup of coffee and dream of sitting Subiaco-style on the footpath for a leisurely hour or so?

Here’s one idea to think about. (more…)

With the demise of a local brewery, comments were made by the company spokesman that Albany was not ready for an inovative hospitality industry. It’s not the first time a concept has failed in Albany but has thrived in other cities. Is it true that Albany clings to it’s old habits?  So instead of a trendy Tangleheads, we are getting back “our” White Star Hotel. (more…)

This study examines the effects on small and medium sized enterprises of the Australian Government’s proposals to introduce an emissions trading scheme, known as the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS). (more…)

In recent years we have seen increased community awareness
about the threats of climate change and its association with the
accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
Businesses have also become more aware of the threat of
climate change and, both in response to regulatory measures
and under their own steam, have begun to take action to
measure and manage their carbon footprints. (more…)

The policy and regulatory landscape relating to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is changing significantly both locally and internationally. (more…)

Whatever happened to Rob Daniel,  you might ask.   Rob, or Danny to his friends, was very active on Albany Gateway a few years ago inspiring local school students to write with the Albany Primary Telegraph, an online newspaper of students stories and events.  It was the most top hit page on Albany Gateway for at least 3 years during the time it was active.  Well he is now travelling the world presenting his workshops to school children from Australia to Latvia and many places in between.

I was fortunate to be invited to attend one in Mt Barker only recently.

Moved, touch and inspired is how I was left feeling after 2 hours along with over 120 children and teachers. (more…)

Next months Albany Blues Club event is set to go with the Sneaky Weasel Gang on the 6th August at the Stirling Club. 
Many of you may have seen them in or around the great southern area over the last year or so.  Originally from Mandurah, this 3 piece outfit are sure to bring a tap to your toes.

Supporting the Weasels’ will be our very own House Band “Mooseknuckle”. Rarely do the House Band get an opportunity to let their hair down at the club these days [ hair? good one ] so they will no doubt be busting at the seams to blast out some blues tunes. (more…)