Sometimes the best things in life are just the simple pleasures

Living in a regional city like Orange certainly offers a different lifestyle to that found in the City. The differences are far and wide but a couple that stand out are the pace of life and the environment. Who doesn't like the open spaces and fresh air? I can still remember a popular song from yesteryear that described living in the city pretty well, it was called Tar and Cement.

Of course, there's much more to it than that as well, the people out here are also more friendly, more layback and there's no such thing as a frantic lifestyle for most country people. Country people also still get a great deal of pleasure from more simple forms of leisure and entertainment. Sure the big sporting events have their place, as do the big stage shows and world class entertainment that we've all attended at one time or another in the city, but who doesn't get the same buzz cheering on our local sporting heroes or watching a first class local stage show?

We also get excited and celebrate with locals who achieve success in their particular fields of interest. Orange City Life often carries stories about such people. It's great isn't it.

It's with that background that I now want to tell you about another simple pleasure that is available to all of us in Orange.

It's our local community radio station 107.5FM and the reason I'm mentioning it, is that over the last little while the station has been undergoing a number of changes and improvements and they are now starting to pay dividends. So much so that the station is soon to re-launch itself and from my understanding, listeners are going to be pleasantly surprised. I won't give too much away at this stage but very soon we'll be telling you more about the great happenings at 107.5FM.

In the meantime, I will tell you that over the last few weeks I've been listening to the station a lot more and I must say, I've found it refreshing. At my age I prefer a relaxed style, I'm not into heavy metal or loud rock music and I hate a radio station that constantly sounds like it's screaming at me. I also prefer to listen to music over constant talk back radio.

That said, 107.5FM appears to have something for all tastes. I understand there are about 20 on air presenters and between them they provide a wealth of music and local information as well as a variety of special interest topics including local sport, country music, there's a health program, even a segment called Ireland Down Under and I'll let you imagine what sort of fun, music and Irish shenanigans goes on in that show.

107.5FM is local, it features local people talking about local things in a refreshing and entertaining way. The changes and new initiatives the station has introduced over the last few months, including broadcasting live from local sporting and community events, now sees the station with a growing audience, including yours truly.

Pictured is Farren Hotham, he's been with the station for several months now and he's playing a big part in helping usher in the changes. Let me encourage you to flick your radio dial to 107.5FM and have a listen to what the station is now sounding like, and then keep watching OC Life for further updates and news about their re-launch very soon.