SA Newspapers: M-N

The Sunday Mail (originally titled the Mail) was founded in 1912 by Clarence Moody. By 1923 it had been purchased by News Limited. It developed a strong sporting focus, with an emphasis on football and horse-racing. In 1923 it was bought by News Ltd and moved to North Terrace. The popular ‘Possum’s pages’ began in 1921, followed in 1924 by the first children’s comic, May Gibbs’ ‘Bib and Bub’. After the Second World War, the Mail developed into the newspaper with which we are now familiar. Its circulation increased from an original 15,000, to 213,000 by 1962. Until 1972 the Sunday Mail was printed on Saturday nights.

This newspaper covered news for the towns of the central and northern Yorke Peninsula. In particular it covered Maitland, Ardrossan, Port Victoria, Arthurton and Urania. In 1969 it was merged with the SYP Pioneer to become the short-lived Yorke Peninsula News Pictorial.

This Mannum newspaper was published, edited and printed by Mr CL Mines. As a young man he had been a printer at the Mannum Mercury. It was published with support from the Angaston Leader newspaper.

In its early years this newspaper covered news from the myriad of tiny settlements of the ‘Murray electorate’, and gave a particular emphasis to sport. During the First World War it was a vehemently patriotic and anti-‘German’ voice, attacking many of the local people descended from German pioneers. The newspaper closed in 1917. Eighty years later the title was revived as the Mannum news page of the Murray Valley Standard.

This single sheet newspaper contains information describing an accident that occurred at the Adelaide Railway Station on 29 January 1923. It was probably produced by PJ McMahon, who ran a boot stall outside the railway station. The back of the sheet contains further details of the accident, as well as the results of the race meeting held the same day at Victoria Park.

This newspaper was published by William Hammond. It contained short items of Adelaide news, court reporting, horse racing and other items. It also included satire of local people and events. This was the first South Australian newspaper to make widespread use of (woodcut) illustrations in articles, cartoons and advertisements. Artist ST Gill was employed to create some of the illustrations. The newspaper has been called ‘scurrilous’ and ‘anti-religious’ (Depasquale), however it has also been described as the only newspaper of the period which appealed to the working-class population. Hammond later published a newspaper under the same title in Melbourne.

Port Adelaide courier, Roger Baynes, took over the free magazine newspaper of the Largs North Progressive Association and converted it into the first free Port Adelaide Messenger in 1951. With partner Len Craker, the company continued to acquire suburban newspapers and turn them into Messenger titles, funding the venture by selling shares to the Advertiser. By 1964, there was a free Messenger Press paper being delivered to every home in suburban Adelaide.

From the 1850s various individuals and groups began publishing religious newspapers and journals. The earliest denominational newspaper was the South Australian Wesleyan Magazine in 1864. Ten years later this became the Methodist Journal. The newspaper has continued under various titles until the present, and is South Australia’s longest running religious newspaper. The Methodist Journal was printed by Theophilus Carey, who left his newspaper at Mount Gambier to found the Journal. In its early years the newspaper was strongly anti-Catholic. Various prominent ministers edited the newspaper including the Rev Henry Burgess, author of the Cyclopedia of South Australia.

This newspaper was owned by the Taylor group based at the Murray Pioneer. Its geographical coverage included the towns of Burra, Eudunda, Jamestown and Peterborough.

The geographical coverage of this newspaper included the towns of Riverton, Saddleworth, Tarlee, Manoora, Marrabel and Rhynie.

This was a newspaper for radio enthusiasts and listeners.

This newspaper was founded by brothers Roland and Donald Campbell.

James and Fred Hales published this newspaper during a period of gold exploration in Western Australia. It was little more than a collection of prospectuses for mining ventures and a promotional tool for the brothers’ stockbroking business.

This was a publication of the Hales brothers. As well as some journalism work, the brothers were mining agents. The newspaper also covered some local horse racing.

The Mirror was a short-lived comic paper published by the engraver Joshua Payne. The chief artist was Alfred Clint, principally known for his stage design work in Melbourne and Sydney. Clint went on to contribute cartoons to the long running Lantern.

This single issue newspaper from 1965 reads like a Prosh magazine, making fun of various situations and individuals in Adelaide. It contains mostly articles discussing music in a tongue-in-cheek manner. A front page 'article' describes Adelaide being sold to President Soekarno [sic] for a private holiday resort.

This was South Australia's first comic magazine. It was published by the colourful early newspaper man James Allen, of the Adelaide Times. Each issue contains an almanac for the month, with phases of the moon, historic dates and weather reports. The Monthly Almanac is also filled with parodies, puns, send-ups and cartoons. It includes South Australia’s first comic depiction of Aborigines, one in which Europeans are the butt of the joke. Various character types were satirised by Allen, particularly 'new chums,' who were portrayed as impractical snobs. There are derogatory references to the reporting of Allen's newspaper rivals, the South Australian Register and the South Australian Gazette and Mining Journal. Interesting business advertisements are printed on the outer coloured wrappers. The printer was Thomas Strode, an important Australian colonial newspaper man. The engraving was probably the work of Penman and Galbraith.

This was first produced as a manuscript (handwritten) newspaper by the men of the SS Moonta, a surveying party under George Goyder. The newspaper was created during the 1868 voyage of the party from Port Adelaide to Darwin. It comprised five editions and a final supplementary issue marking the expedition’s arrival. Later the handwritten newspaper was professionally printed. Unfortunately the Library has been unable to locate the original handwritten copies.

This newspaper began in 1890 as the Peoples’ Weekly.

This small religious newspaper was the work of the gifted but unbalanced lawyer, Paris Nesbit. With his sister Agnes Benham, he was interested in the 'new thought' movement of the 1890s, with its socialism and sexual reform. Benham contributed book reviews and articles on religious topics. Poems by local and other contributors featured largely, particularly in the early years. Nesbit took a strong political stance, advocating the nationalising of the legal profession to enable access for the poor. He also suggested divorce law reform and more employment opportunities for women. The newspaper was strongly against the 'White Australia' policy. After four months Nesbit handed the editorship to the John Newton Wood, who took an interest in spiritualism and vegetarianism. The final issue discusses socialism and the Broken Hill strikes. It includes an article about effective voting by Catherine Helen Spence.

Although the Mount Barker district was first settled in the 1840s, the town did not have its own newspaper until 1880. It was founded by printer Charles Dumas. In the nineteenth century the geographical coverage included Murray Bridge and Meningie, down to Victor Harbour, across to Clarendon, and up to Lobethal. Murray Bridge was particularly well reported until its own newspaper was founded in 1934. Sport was a strong focus from the founding of the newspaper. Politically, the Courier supported protectionism and tariffs, as well as compulsory voting. Since 1952 the newspaper has been owned by the Marston family.

The Mount Gambier Standard strongly reflected the interests of the South-East’s farming community. It was published in opposition to the older Border Watch. The newspaper is notable for its reporting of two particular local communities, the Roman Catholic community (centred at Penola) and the large German Lutheran population of the district. Despite the newspaper’s success, publisher Theo Carey closed the title in 1874. He moved to Adelaide to found the Methodist Journal.

The Pioneer began in 1892 as a hand-written chromograph publication under the editorship of Arthur Pitman Corrie, with cartoons by the local Methodist minister, John Jenkin. The following year Corrie purchased a printing press, and in 1895 Sydney Browne took over the Pioneer. In 1905 it was purchased by Harry Taylor. Taylor had been involved in the New Australia migration to Paraguay in the 1890s. He turned the newspaper into a progressive and vigorous journal with a strong community focus. It also became well-known for its practical agricultural advice. The Taylor family have owned the newspaper ever since. In recent decades the Taylors have progressively purchased five other country newspapers. All are printed at Renmark.

This Mannum newspaper was published, edited and printed by CL Mines. As a young man he had been a printer at the Mannum Mercury. It was published with support from the Angaston Leader newspaper.

This is Murray Bridge's oldest newspaper. It replaced the 'Murray Bridge Advertiser' reports in the pages of the Mount Barker Courier. Originally weekly, the Standard experimented with publishing twice weekly in 1973. It has regularly published on Tuesdays and Thursdays since 1981. Over the years the newspaper has had a strong focus on reporting about local people and their lives, with interviews, news reports, biographical sketches and obituaries. Matters relating to the River Murray have naturally featured also. Concerns about water flow have been voiced in its pages since 1939. Sports coverage became a main feature following the Second World War. Football received the most detailed coverage, but other sports, in particular rowing, were included. Murray Bridge was the centre of a busy agricultural district and the newspaper reflects this with agricultural articles, reports of agricultural associations and advertisements for agricultural equipment and products. The Standard has also devoted plenty of space to local government matters, freely voicing both Council and community opinions on a range of issues. Rural Press bought shares in the newspaper in 1986, taking over full control in December 1994. Rural Press merged with Fairfax Media in 2006.

This newspaper was published by John Lethaby, and later his wife, as an adjunct to the Pinnaroo and Border Times. It ceased in 1927.

This newspaper was founded by the proprietors of the Border Watch. In 1880 it was purchased by George Ash and John Mather, the editor and the printer. The two were bankrupt through the costs of a libel case brought against the newspaper by William Hutchison MP in 1889. During the 1980s the newspaper came to be run in association with the Border Chronicle and the Coastal Leader. All three newspapers were taken over by Fairfax Media in 2010, which currently owns the majority of Australia's country newspapers.

This newspaper was published for the Polish community of Adelaide. It was begun by Zygmunt Posluszny and supported by the Polish Caritas Society. Publication ceased when then editor Dr JZ Sobolewski was appointed to a position at the University of London.

This newspaper was published for the Arabic speaking community of Adelaide. Only a handful of issues are held by the State Library.

This was the newspaper of the National party of South Australia, a break away group from the Labor Party. It was largely devoted to politics, but included agricultural and gardening sections, and a children's page by 'Uncle Harry'.

Nea Estia (or New Hestia) was a short-lived Greek community newspaper.

This is a bi-weekly German-language newspaper published for nine years at Salisbury.

This was a short-lived German language newspaper reputedly financed by a disgruntled would-be politician, JWA Sudholz as an opposition newspaper to the Australische Zeitung. From 1875 to 1876 the editor was Dr Ulrich Hubbe.

This newspaper was published by the Central Traders and Central Market Stallholders’ Associations. It was a free publication and aimed to promote city businesses located between Grote and Gouger Streets. It published advertisements, fashion articles and recipes, but reported little actual ‘news’.

‘New Adelaide’ was the name given to the section of the city around Victoria Square and Gouger Street. This included the Central Market and various stores and theatres. This newspaper was produced on behalf of the Central Traders Association. Besides covering a unique inner city district in some detail, the paper covered a range of issues that arose immediately after the First World War. These included prohibition, profiteering, setting the basic wage and the Spanish influenza epidemic.

Nea Estia (or New Hestia) was a short-lived Greek community newspaper.

This is the newspaper of the Uniting Church in South Australia. Through changes in format and title, this has been published continuously since 1864. It began as the journal of the Wesleyan Church prior to the formation of the Methodist Church, which in 1977 became part of the Uniting Church. Its current title is New Times. As well as religious topics. the newspaper has always had strong discussions on social issues ranging through being pro-Conscription during the First World War, supporting conscientious objection during the Second World War, and discussing homosexuality and the church in the 1990s.

This was Adelaide’s signature evening newspaper. The tabloid was founded by James Edward Davidson in 1923 through the merging two old titles, the Express and the Journal. The News was popular from the start, with a strong initial circulation. By 1953 the circulation was 160,000. After Davidson’s sudden death in London in 1930, Keith Murdoch, already owner of the Advertiser, joined the News’ Board. By 1949 he had secured a major personal share of the newspaper. His son, Rupert, joined the News in 1952. He became publisher and managing director, before selling the title to Northern Star Holdings in 1987. When it closed in 1992, the News was the last metropolitan afternoon newspaper in Australia. Many prominent journalists cut their teeth on the News.

This was one of a handful of newspapers whose readership crossed both sides of the Victorian and South Australian border.

This was one of a handful of newspapers whose readership covered both sides of the Victorian and South Australian border.

This newspaper was founded as an alternative to the Northern Territory Times. It was felt that an independent voice was needed to be able to publish more critical remarks about the government. The owner/editor was a mining expert named RA Echlin. Until 1912 the Northern Territory was administered by the South Australian government.

This newspaper was initially published by FW Holder in association with the Burra News. Later it was run by Holder's partner, Francis Pascoe, independently from the Burra title. Pascoe sold the newspaper to his printer, Frederick Wigney. For a short time Wigney published it as the British Australian Federal Standard.

This was one of several mid-northern newspapers established by James Barclay. It was later owned by Maurice Hill and John Edwards of the Transcontinental.

For 127 years this newspaper was run by the Tilbrook family. Brothers Henry and Alfred Tilbrook first worked at the Register newspaper before founding the Argus with partner Alfred Clode. The Northern Argus gave the usual coverage to local news and sports, and included city and interstate news. From 1874 to 1891 the newspaper was printed twice weekly. At this time it contained large amounts of syndicated material - both literary and news items. While many country newspapers were forced to close, the Argus was fortunate that Clare remained an important country centre. The newspaper has outlasted many of its neighbours and for this reason its geographical coverage has steadily increased. In 1996 the Tilbrook family sold to Rural Press, based in New South Wales. It became part of Fairfax Holdings in 2006.

This was a small newspaper covering the suburbs of North Adelaide, Prospect, Enfield and Walkerville. It included brief local news mostly in relation to the local councils. It also published advertisements for local businesses. Sport was a feature. Most space was taken up with a 'Hollywood' page, books and cookery columns.

This was one of a handful of free newspapers published during the 1980s by Gazette Newspapers, in opposition to the Messenger Press.

This newspaper was published by Ebenezer Ward, a colourful 19th century politician, who was a firm advocate for the farmers he represented. Ward was elected MP for Gumeracha in 1870, and started this newspaper in that year. He advocated radical land reforms to allow more working men to become land owners. Geographical coverage is particularly strong for Gumeracha and Tungkillo, although news also appears from many of the adjacent towns. The newspaper moved to Kapunda where it changed title from Gumeracha Guardian to Northern Guardian.

Burra had no local newspaper until 1876, when Frank Jarman and Henry Pether founded the Northern Mail. In 1878 the newspaper was sold to Frederick Holder, local school teacher and later Member of Parliament. He was to become a popular South Australian Premier. Holder changed the title to the Record and then the Burra Record, before selling to WJ Davey in 1891.

This newspaper was a trial merging of the Recorder (Port Pirie) and Transcontinental (Port Augusta). However the two month experiment was not popular with newspaper readers in the two towns, and the status quo was resumed.

This newspaper was formed by an early amalgamation of three country newspapers in the mid north. By 1948 these three were all owned by Lester Judell: Agriculturist and Review (Jamestown), Areas Express (Gladstone) and Laura Standard (Laura). Following the Second World War country populations continued to decline, bringing a consequent decline in the country press. In 1970 the Northern Review was combined with the Times (Peterborough) to become the Review Times. This eventually became part of Flinders News.

Between 1924 and 1931 the Northern Sportsman was published as a special edition of the Sport newspaper. It covered a broad geographical readership including Golden Grove, Port Augusta, and Kadina. The publisher was Fred Jennings.

Printed and published by disgruntled ex-Advertiser journalist, George Massey Allen, the Northern Star marks the birth of South Australia’s country press. While providing a fascinating insight into life in the region in the early 1860s, the uncensored comments about local residents and approach adopted by the owner/editor resulted in the newspaper’s closure after just three years.

This was a free suburban newspaper published in a magazine format. It covered the suburbs around Northfield, including Clearview, Hillcrest, Broadview, Klemzig, Gilles Plains and Tea Tree Gully. The editor was NA Taylor.

The Northern Sun replaced the earlier Dam News newsletter. It was the first newspaper for the mining camp of Olympic Dam. Since 2002 the newspaper has been titled Roxby Downs Sun, and the town re-named Roxby Downs. It is published by the Transcontinental at Port Augusta. It was taken over by Rural Press in 1991, which is now part of Fairfax Media.

Until 1912 the Northern Territory was under the jurisdiction of the South Australian government. This newspaper was the first for the Territory, edited by Register assistant editor Richard Wells. Wells and his wife drowned in the wreck of the Gothenburg in 1875. From 1884 colourful Adelaide merchant and MP Vaiben Solomon was owner and editor of the newspaper. His editorship was noted for its forceful opinions and language.

This was a free suburban newspaper.

South Australia's first suburban newspapers had difficulty lasting more than a few months or even a few weeks. Norwood had at least two failed newspaper attempts from the 1880s. In 1908 James Hales, one of the three Hales mining agent/newspaper brothers, founded the Norwood Standard. In the Norwood Standard the Hales simply reprinted much of the text and articles from their Mining Standard newspaper. Only the first issue was entirely original. The Norwood Standard contained a number of sports reports, mostly (local) football and horseracing. ‘Heard on the tram’ was a well written column of chatty commentary on current Adelaide matters.

Journalist George Isaacs produced this single issue magazine while writing plays and poems, and contributing articles to several newspapers. Isaacs usually wrote under the pen name A. Pendragon. Despite good reviews, no further issues of the magazine were published. The prohibitive cost of printing was probably the reason for the magazine's demise. The magazine contained poems, essays and short stories. Most of the content was probably by Isaacs. An interesting item is an Australian murder story, 'Who was the sixth?' by 'G.N.'. A poem by Isaacs, 'The myrtle', was later set to music. Isaacs went on to become a co-founder of the Gawler Bunyip.

This community newspaper was published in a magazine format.