Western Weekender

Annie Burbank resides in the Blue Mountains and is a classically trained pianist. From an early age Annie has honed her own eclectic style of playing, with influences from the classics, great jazz pianists, and ambient styles. With a worldly experience, complemented with tertiary study in music, Annie continues to share her experiences through her musical education studio and has maintained regular gigs at iconic local venues, such as the Hydro Majestic. “I feel very privileged to be one of the people who have that tool (music) and that ability to do evoke emotion through music,” Annie said. “There are very few things that will do that, music is one of the only things. The thing I love about music is its ability to change your emotional state.”

Special guest Nick Rigas from The Agency takes us through the road to recovery for the property industry in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Andy Nielsen is a musician, a drummer for The Lazys, a band that has exploded in the Canadian rock N roll scene. Growing up in Winmalee, in the Blue Mountains, Andy was first introduced to drumming at the age of 8 by his Dad and continued to hone his skills through his high school years. A strong respect and understanding for music and its pioneers have helped maintain a balanced perspective for Andy. “Even today I really only listen to old music. I was always interested in finding out who influenced them (musicians), and where their influences came from,” Andy said. “I always have a strong respect for musicians from the past, because they’ve paved the way for what we have today.” Embarking on his first tour straight out of school, then on numerous overseas adventures, Andy has embraced the lifestyle as a touring musician, but has a strong appreciation for what he has given up getting to where he is today. The rise of online streaming, such as Spotify and YouTube, has proven to be a tricky trade-off for

Ashlee Bucholtz grew up in Oaky Park, Lithgow and developed a love for art and painting at an early age. Having attended the Newcastle Art School and National Art School, she took valuable learnings as a person and an artist that helped shape her perspective. “They (art schools) teach you how to challenge yourself and to challenge your skills, to have a standard that you want to achieve,” Ashlee said. “But, also to understand that it’s okay to make a bad artwork. The more you fail the more successful you will be.” Currently residing in the Blue Mountains, Ashlee continues to develop her artwork and spends time as a part-time art educator. The focus of her work is on ambiguous spaces using unconventional colour, stimulating the sensory experience for the viewer. CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE PASSION & PERSPECTIVE PODCAST [INSERT LINK] At the age of 24, Ashlee was told she had Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Whilst confronting, the diagnosis has enabled a refined and clear focus on her life, her health and he

Jarrah is a local musician who strives to share stories of empathy and compassion through powerful lyrics and intricate acoustic guitar playing. A loving and alternative upbringing in Emu Plains stimulated a passion for creativity and music. Jarrah has a strong respect for music and its history, but it is not the bright lights and fame that he longs for. It is the ability to inspire through meaningful music that motivates Jarrah. “My overall goal is to play music to as many people as I can,” Jarrah said. “(And to) write songs that have meaning for all the different situations people face in life.”

Brenna Tarrant first had the urge to play football at the age of 9, and it was 4 years later that she started playing competitive Aussie Rules for the local Emu Plains club. With the rise of the AFLW, Brenna’s passion for the sport and dream to shape a professional career from it, has turned into reality. Last year, waiting in her school library during the AFLW Draft, there was the fear of not knowing when her name would be called and as the picks ahead of her were taken. “I felt it fading away a little bit, but you’ve got to have hope. You’ve got to think ‘If my name gets called out, I have a chance at playing AFLW’. If it doesn’t, well I have to wait another year,” Brenna said. “I was just clinging to hope really – I felt like I was hanging on by a thread.” The nerves were worth it for Brenna, after 5 years playing the game her dreams came to fruition, as the Melbourne Demons selected her as the No. 72 pick, meaning she would join the roster for the 2020 season.

Growing up with a love for sports and the outdoors, it was a trip to the local climbing gym at the age of 12 that sparked Tom O’Halloran’s fascination and imagination into the world of rock climbing. The challenge of rock climbing, both physical and mental, is what has driven Tom’s love of this extreme outdoor sport.

Growing up in Wagga Wagga, exploration and adventure formed a large part of Jodie McLeod’s upbringing. This freedom stimulated a sense of creativity, which has helped her journey as a writer and, more recently, a passion for ultra-trail marathon running.

In the latest episode of Weekender Wireless, Troy Dodds takes an in depth local look at Coronavirus and its impact on Penrith. We look at the latest local numbers, the outbreak at Newmarch House and discuss the new contact tracing app launched by the Federal Government.

Josh Lalor is a professional cricketer who has represented New South Wales, various Big Bash League clubs and, more recently, relished a stint playing in the Caribbean Premier League. The past decade has been a dynamic and fast-moving experience, juggling a cricket career, work career and a young family. Having twice been de-listed from the New South Wales contract list, Josh has had to maintain resilience and perspective in the face of adversity.

Troy Dodds presents a new episode of Weekender Wireless, focused on the Coronavirus pandemic and its impact on Penrith. We've got the latest local numbers, plus an update on the situation at Newmarch House nursing home in Caddens. Weekender Wireless delivers a dedicated local look at Coronavirus.

Whilst always having a love for the written word, it was an inspiring encounter at high school where Jack Hunter knew there was an audience for his writing. The support and backing of teachers, friends and family have helped Jack follow and develop his passion. Over the past decade, Jack has hit many milestones and accomplishments. A local author from the Blue Mountains, Jack has produced four books and regularly contributes online. However, the successes have been tempered by a series of challenges and realisations.

Troy Dodds hosts a new Western Weekender podcast, with specific focus on the impact of Coronavirus on Penrith.

The Western Weekender looks at the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic on Penrith.

Troy Dodds and Nathan Taylor preview the Penrith Panthers' 2020 NRL season.

As an elite athlete Brendan Davies has travelled the world, competing with some of the best runners on the globe. It wasn’t until his late twenties that Brendan started competitive running. With a post-graduate qualification in Special Education and a career as a teacher, it took time, significant commitment and strong race results before the opportunities as an elite athlete opened for him. The sport of ultra-marathon requires a year-round commitment that features global meets, mixed with domestic competition and it was a permanent move to the Blue Mountains that further sparked a love for the outdoors and a love for trail running. A sense of exploration has always driven Brendan and led him through an eventful career as an ultra-marathon runner. “That’s what hooked me into the sport (my love of the adventure of it) and always maintaining that strong curiosity and not taking it too seriously. At the end of the day, if you take it too seriously, you’ll fall out of love with it,” Brendan said. “Once you fa

Aidan Williams has seen some of the most picturesque parts of the world. As an adventure photographer, with a passion for the outdoors and a determination to capture amazing moments, Aidan has followed some of the world’s leading highliners on their death-defying journeys. Growing up in the Blue Mountains, the epicentre of outdoor adventure in Sydney, Aidan uncovered the power of photography and its ability to communicate special moments with others. Despite landing a dream job as a photographer for a major newspaper, Aidan followed his instincts – leaving his work to travel overseas, uncovering the wild and devoted world of highlining. With the support of friends and family, Aidan showed persistence and embraced the risk of a career change. His bold career move uncovered the need for photography in highlining and opened Aidan to an exciting new world. “(I decided) I’m going to find what this is. I’m going to throw myself at it. Not even knowing what it looked like!”, Williams said. “It just really captu

Katie Lees has been involved in performing arts since her childhood. Growing up in the Blue Mountains, drama and theatre played a big part in her life and has taken her around the world, on memorable and moving adventures. Katie’s experiences on stage have seen her visit India, United Kingdom, Italy, areas of eastern Europe and many more, largely driven by the opportunity to impart her passion and knowledge with others. During this journey of exploration and adventure, Katie has been able to share her love for performing arts with the many people she has worked with. It is the opportunity to help inspire communities and to engage with people in difficult situations (such as working in refugee camps in Europe) that has kept Katie motivated, rather than the chase of celebrity status. “I might not be walking the red carpet in Hollywood, but I think I would choose seeing someone’s smiling face (who’s lost a family member in Syria), and not ever get recognition for that,” Katie said. More recently, Katie has

For Jazz Hourigan, music and performing has been a major part of his life. Striving for success and fame in the music industry has provided many highs and many lows for the local musician. Growing up in the Blue Mountains, it was sport and family that absorbed Jazz’s time and attention, forging a promising rugby career through his teenage years. However, through the back-end of his high-school years a chance opportunity with music changed the course of his young life. Starting with local gigs at prominent Penrith and Blue Mountains venues, Jazz, along with a close friend, developed a strong following as a DJ duo. Performing alongside many recognised names in the industry opened doors for the duo, known as ‘Jagged Beatz’. Before long, mainstream festivals such as ‘Future Music’ beckoned. Jazz’s self-determination and drive has always underpinned his work and this ambition saw him take on a unique opportunity to travel to Los Angeles, with a dream of landing a record deal with US producers. Despite the g

Troy Dodds and Nathan Taylor preview the 2019 NRL season and the chances of the Penrith Panthers.