Five years ago, we launched a brand-new newspaper… during a global pandemic. At the time, some thought we were bold. Others thought we were completely bonkers. Fair call.
But we knew this region needed a local paper that brought people together, one that celebrated the good, covered the tough stuff honestly, and never resorted to clickbait just to get attention.
Thanks to you, our readers, our advertisers, our community, we’re still here. Still independent, still in print, and still proudly delivering local news people can trust. That’s no small feat in today’s media landscape, and it’s all because of the businesses who backed us when it mattered most.
This paper exists because locals cared enough to keep their community connected. And every week since, we’ve been lucky enough to share your stories, the joyful ones, the gritty ones, the ones that matter.
I’ve been here since day one, and I still feel just as honoured (and yes, occasionally sleep-deprived). This paper has grown up alongside my family, and it’s been a constant in a world that keeps changing.
As you open this week's edition, I’ll be high up Mt Hutt in New Zealand — watching my son see snow for the very first time, surrounded by family I’ve missed dearly. It’s a short break across the ditch to recharge and reconnect.
While I’m away, the brilliant Hannah will be your local ears and eyes, backed by our all-star team. You’ll be in great hands.
Here’s to five years of news without the nonsense — and to all of you who proved that local news in print isn’t dead… it just needed the right postcode and passion.
Amanda