One of our favourite tracks, Houndogs n' Bullfrogs made its way onto the highlights reel for the Gold Coast Music Awards. The song was included as a finalist in the 'Song of the Year' Category!

READ MORE:
Leopold’s Treat slide guitarist, didgeridoo player and harmony bringer Kieran Richardt is the director of Natura Education, a small business doing gigantic things for the environment both locally on the Gold Coast and internationally. This is what recently won the team the United Nations Environment Day Award.

​I was truly blessed to have been a part of the Natura Education team for six years, having recently departed in October 2015 to focus more on the musical direction and spend some time working and living on an organic vegetable farm in Northern New South Wales. In my time at Natura I saw the company grow in its endeavours and also in its staff members. In 2015 alone, we worked with around 32, 000 kids of all ages from 180 schools and early learning centres! These days, Natura does in one term what we would have done in one year in its humble beginnings!
 
So now, we have a call to action. The team at Natura needs our help! Natura Education are currently FINALISTS in the 2016 Healthy Waterways Awards. They need your vote to help them take it one step further and TAKE HOME THE PRIZE for their efforts in creating and recently releasing the ‘Waterways Field Guide Project’ as part of the successful, interactive and educational Gold Coast Waterwatch Initiative in conjunction with the City of Gold Coast Catchment Management Unit! The project produced a series of four booklets on water bugs, habitats, riparian vegetation and life cycles. They are photographic and informative field guides with information relevant to the east coast of Australia. More info here!

​The award was one of seven categories in this years Gold Coast Music Awards, which received nominations from around 140 artists from the region. Our song ‘Houndogs n’ Bullfrogs’ from the recently released ‘Cold River’ album, was a Finalist in the ‘Song of the year’ category, which was awarded to songstress Ella Fence for her song Unknown Water. Other recipients included our globe trotting friends the Hussy Hicks (Artist of the year) and Jason McGregor (People’s Choice Award). We wiggled our way in to the top ten for the People’s Choice and were blown away by the response in stage two of the voting, which required people to post a selfie of themselves with ‘we vote for Leopold’s Treat’ – thanks everyone!

SEE BELOW to have a listen to a live version of 'Houndogs n' Bullfrogs', which was a FINALIST in the category for 'Song of the year'! We will be releasing a four track LIVE EP at the Soundlounge on the 22nd July. Come celebrate with us, and receive your FREE download of the digital EP!! Recorded at our 'Cold River' album launch in October 2015.

Here are a few words strung together by Kieran, slide guitarist and didgeridoo man of Leopold's Treat, in the lead up to our appearance at the mFest at Springbrook State School | 7th May 2016 | 1pm (festival 10am-4pm):

Well, it’s that time of year again, Mfest is just around the corner!
 
Through this beautiful little festival, on the Springbrook plateau tucked away in the Gold Coast hinterland, our community comes together every year through music, workshops, art and food to honour our women and mothers on the very day before Mothers Day.
 
As a band, we have played at Mfest for many years, backing our front woman, Kate Leopold.  As a member of Leopold's Treat who lives on Springbrook, Mfest and its celebration of our womenfolk, means a great deal to me. As Dr Hunter writes in her book, The Power of Mother Love, “Mother love shapes cultures and individuals. While most mothers know that their love and emotional availability are vital to their children's well-being, many of us do not understand the profound and long-lasting impact we have in developing our young children's brains, teaching them first lessons of love, shaping their consciences”
 
We are an interesting and eclectic lot on Springbrook and, being isolated from the rest of the Gold Coast, we have developed some unique ways of supporting our womenfolk. This is during a time when society can appear to urge women and mums to identify their worth in things that take them away from their families and most intimate bonds. Mfest invites women from all walks of life to come home to their hearts, their children, community and friends and celebrate in who they are and encourage them to be themselves. We invite you to treat your mum with Leopold's Treat on May 7, from 10 am to 4 pm and give thanks to our women and mums. Leopold's Treat play at 1pm.

The artwork for our album 'Cold River' was lovingly painted with oil on wood by local artiste Rebecca Cunningham. After an initial discussion, Rebecca listened to the entire album and somewhat intuitively and perfectly captured the vibe with her incredible artwork, which was captured as high quality images for the album cover.

Rebecca became a finalist in the 2015 Queensland Music Design Awards for this album cover! She has collaborated over the years with numerous local artists, including Felicity Lawless and also presented in local showcase events including the Swell Sculpture Festival. The artwork now hangs in Kate's living room on a wall above the couch. See Rebecca's 'Cold River' album artwork below. You can also visit Rebecca's website to view more of her incredible and diverse works. Other contributors to the album artwork's graphic design components include Sarah Dern and Racheal McCosh. 

Here's a little something Dave, guitarist, harmonica player and harmony singer came up with when asked to write a short description of Leopold's Treat. There's something poetic about the way Dave writes. It's also in the way he throws together melodic guitar harmonies and dances around somewhat joyfully and yet totally engrossed in the moment on stage!

"The hauntingly beautiful voice of Kate Leopold guides the way through folk soundscapes, where hills are strummed, the wind is sung, where harmonies float like drops of rain in the sun, and cold rivers run. Following on from the wonderfully received launch of their debut album Cold River in late 2015, this emerging folk band from the Gold Coast is ready to make you sing, stomp and dance along. Kate’s beautifully unique voice, Weissenborn slide, ukelele, and acoustic guitar pickings are just some of the flavours that await you with Leopold’s Treat."

​Thanks Dave, a treat indeed!

​One such person in my life is an amazing musician and mentor, a creator, a motivator, someone who embraces the magic of bringing people together and sharing something special – through music. This person is also a good friend of mine and I feel very lucky for the gift of his friendship. This is Mattie Barker, who I met almost 10 years ago when he was running an open mic with my house-mate at the time (and current band mate) Kieran Richardt.

​These boys would set up early every Sunday morning at the Cave in Nobby Beach, where droves of people would come down to share a story, a joke a poem or a strum. And I was there most weeks, half nervous in anticipation of the tap on my shoulder to say “Katie you’re up next”.. (me? I cant sing.. said my holding back head voice.. but I did it anyway). Silently I had a little heart attack every time. I’m so greatful that Mattie and that whole supportive crowd at the Cave gave me (and everyone who had a go) that little push. Never had I really envisaged playing in front of people outside my own lounge room, but I’m greatful for the opportunity that has undoubtedly and infinitely been the groundwork for where I sit today as a nature lover, music artist and positive people person in my community. Mattie is still an irrepressible force in my life who unknowingly (?) and continually inspires me. So a few words I have to say to this man – thankyou and in his words ‘the highest’.

To our delight, we were featured in More Gold Coasts top 15 songs of 2015, for our recently released single 'Cold River'.  It was a collection of songs that was chosen to “…Capture the diversity of genre and talent coming out of the Gold Coast right now.” – Sam Morris, More Gold Coast. Some other local acts that were in the mix included our amazing fellow musicians and friends Ella Fence, Tijuana Cartel, Hussy Hicks as well as Baltimore Gun Club and Hanlon Brothers! We are ever grateful for all the support we have been receiving from our local community of friends, family, media folk and fellow creatives: