SA Newspapers: Mid North

The Agriculturist and Review began life as the Jamestown Review in March 1878. Founder, Port Pirie builder, John Burrough Collins for three years wrote with a 'sarcastic and vitriolic pen' (Cooper, p. 97). He left in July 1881 to become sub-editor of the Register newspaper. The Jamestown Review was then sold to 'Messrs Lake and Thurp'. George Lake became Town Clerk of Jamestown’s first Corporation. Three years later he resigned and took over the local newspaper. It was Lake who re-named the newspaper the Agriculturist and review. He entered Parliament in 1890 and hired Charles Reade as editor of the newspaper. Reade, like Lake, had a varied career which including medical training. In 1900 Reade volunteered for the South African War and was placed in charge of the Second Contingent. In 1903 the Agriculturist and review was sold to a long-time employee, Alfred Gage. Gage was a local, having grown up at nearby Belalie. Gage was a keen photographer and took many early photographs of the district. In 1919 he sold the newspaper to HB Whitham who, in turn, sold to the journalist LMW (Lester) Judell in 1921. Judell, like Gage, was a 'local' boy - the Judells being a prosperous Orroroo-based family. In 1927 he added the Booyoolie Areas Express newspaper to the business and in 1942 also the Laura Standard. Later he acquired the Orroroo Enterprise and the Times (Peterborough). In 1949 Judell combined the Agriculturist and Review, Areas Express and Laura Standard into a new title, the Northern Review. Employee Ted Clift purchased the firm in 1950. In 1958 the newspaper was sold to Reg Warnest.

As the Northern Review, the newspaper was acquired by Independent Newspapers of Port Pirie. With other local newspapers it became part of the new Review Times Record, which was eventually taken over by Flinders News.

Booyoolie was later incorporated in the town of Gladstone. The Areas express newspaper served the small towns and farming communities around Gladstone for over 70 years. It took a strong politically conservative stance, and included articles about a wide range of agricultural topics. The Express was a weekly through most of its existence, but enjoyed enough success to be published twice-weekly from February 1878 to July 1886

The Blyth Agriculturist was begun as an offshoot of the Northern Argus newspaper in 1908. It ran until 1969, covering news for Blyth and the nearby towns and districts. The earliest issues of the newspaper had not survived, but in 2006 there was some excitement when the Clare Regional History Group donated fragments from some of the earliest issues of the Blyth Agriculturist. These were painstakingly pieced together by State Library Preservation staff, and subsequently microfilmed.

The Booleroo Magnet circulated through the mid-north towns including Melrose, Wirrabarra, Pekina and Port Germein at the beginning of the First World War. It was published by WH Bennett.

Some issues of this newspaper were also published as the Crystal Brook Times.

This newspaper was a continuation of the earlier Terowie newspaper, the North Eastern Times. It was run by the printer of the earlier title, Frederick Wigney. The newspaper was fairly outspoken, and was ridiculed by sections of the Adelaide press. It was short-lived, replaced by the new title, the Terowie Enterprise.

The Broughton Star was one of several mid-northern newspapers founded by James Barclay at the beginning of the twentieth century.

The Burra News was the Kooringa (Burra) newspaper. In 1878 it was purchased by local schoolmaster turned storekeeper, Frederick Holder, who re-named it the Burra Record. Holder was later to become Premier of South Australia. Initially the newspaper was run by a committee. The Burra Record continued until March 1977 when, with the Orroroo Enterprise, the newspaper was taken over by the Port Pirie Recorder and became the Review-Times-Record.

The Record was the Kooringa (Burra) newspaper. In 1878 it was purchased by local schoolmaster turned storekeeper, Frederick Holder. Holder was later to become Premier of South Australia. Initially the newspaper was run by a committee. The Burra Record continued until March 1977 when, with the Orroroo Enterprise, it was taken over by the Port Pirie Recorder and became the Review-Times-Record.

In 1903 James Walker established the forerunner to the current Plains Producer, which he named the Central Advocate. In 1926 it was purchased by Amy Henstridge, formerly of the Stanley Herald, Snowtown. At this time the newspaper was named the Wooroora Producer, and later became simply The Producer. The newspaper was suspended during the Second World War, but reopened in 1946. Roger Manuel and his wife Margaret purchased the newspaper in 1983. In 1992 it was renamed the Plains Producer. The newspaper has won the BankSA Award for the best newspaper with a circulation under 5,000 in 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2008. Its area of coverage extends form Snowtown in the north to Virginia in the south.

This was a country version of the Adelaide Trading Post. It had a number of titles at differing periods.

This newspaper was published by Riverton accountant Harold Du Rieu. It reflected the concerns of the local farming community. Together with articles about 'Wether hoggets' and the Rev JA Allen's 'Think it over' column, are advertisements for tractors and separators, and detailed descriptions of local weddings and debutante balls. From 1950 photographs of political figures, film stars and sporting heroes appear, with fewer news items and an increased preoccupation with 'Macarthyism'.
The newspaper covered the districts of Riverton, Tarlee, Rhynie and Saddleworth.

This was the fourth country newspaper founded by James Barclay of Snowtown. The Crystal Brook Times covered news for the areas surrounding the towns of Crystal Brook, Merriton, Narridy and Wandearah.

This newspaper was produced by the Flinders Travel Service of Port Pirie in conjunction with the Commonwealth Railways. It was aimed at travellers aboard the Indian-Pacific, Trans-Australian and Ghan rail services. Largely containing articles promoting tourism, the newspaper also chronicled the restoration and re-opening of the historic Pichi Richi Railway in 1974.

Ebenezer Ward MP published this newspaper, continuing his earlier Northern Guardian. Ward was mostly editor and leader writer. His own political activities were fully covered together with less favourable reports of his opponents, particularly James Boucaut. The focus was also on agricultural matters. In 1874 columns included the memoirs of a police trooper ('Mike O'Reilly') and the satirical series 'How South Australia is governed' as well as articles about pastoralists such as Thomas Elder and Thomas Hardy. From 1876 wood-cut illustrations of local scenes were included. Later the newspaper contained mostly advertisements.

The Flinders News originated with the formation of the Review-Times in 1970. The Review-Times was formed by the merger of several struggling mid-northern newspapers including: Northern Review (Jamestown), Peterborough Times, Orroroo Enterprise, Areas Express (Gladstone) and Crystal Brook Courier. The title changed to Review-Times-Record in 1977 when the Burra Record also became part of the proprietary. In 1989 the title became Flinders News. It is now part of the Fairfax Media group.

Frederick Frith intended that the bulletin would be published every four weeks, but only this one was known to have been printed. It consisted of eight pages and included a short story, school column, world news, health hints, council minutes, sport and articles about agriculture by South Australian experts.

This newspaper was published by Ebenezer Ward, a colourful 19th century politician, who was however, a firm advocate for the farmers he represented. Ward was elected MP for Gumeracha in 1870, and started the Gumeracha Guardian in that year. The title changed when he moved the newspaper to Clare. Ward advocated radical land reforms to allow more working men to become land owners.

Five issues of this newspaper were published. The publisher used a syndicated sheet, placing local news on the outer (front and back) pages. It is identical with the Owen's Weekly, apart from the title.

The Kapunda Herald was founded by Charles Barton of the Tanunda Deutsche Zeitung. Two months later he sold to the printers James Elliott and James Scandrett. For almost 90 years the Kapunda Herald was a quality country newspaper, printing news reports from the myriad of tiny settlements stretching across the lower and mid-north of South Australia. It also published interesting political commentary. Until 1918 when the Angaston Leader began, it was the only English language newspaper for the Barossa Valley and Murray flats. Between 1903 and 1911, the Herald was also unique as a country newspaper with a pictorial supplement. In 1951 the newspaper was merged with the Barossa News to become the Barossa and Light Herald.

This newspaper covered a wide geographical area. In 1948 it was merged with three other country newspapers to become the new Northern Review.

This was a country edition of the popular Adelaide Trading Post.

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 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 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.

The Orroroo Enterprise was founded by Joseph Pengelley. He first ran the Terowie Enterprise, but transferred the newspaper to the more centrally located town of Orroroo four years later. Renamed the Orroroo Enterprise, the focus was predominantly on agricultural matters and local news. Reports include the activities of clubs, council meetings, local events and sport.

Five issues of this newspaper were published. The publisher used a syndicated sheet, placing local news on the outer (front and back) pages. Apart from the title it is identical with the Hamley Bridge Express.

The Peterborough Times was a short-lived attempt to re-start a newspaper at Peterborough. However in 2006 it was absorbed into the new Mid North Broadcaster, together with neighbouring newspapers the Burra Broadcaster, and the Eudunda Observer.

This newspaper was established as an outspoken and blatant competitor to the Petersburg (Peterborough) Times. It was very political, being strongly conservative, anti-Labor and anti-socialist. News items from adjacent towns occasionally appeared, including Yongala, Terowie and Burra. There was also regular church news and sports reports. William Myers and Walter Wade were the proprietors.

In 1903 James Walker established the forerunner to the current Plains Producer, which he named the Central Advocate. In 1926 it was purchased by Amy Henstridge, formerly of the Stanley Herald, Snowtown. At this time the newspaper was named the Wooroora Producer, and later became simply The Producer. The newspaper was suspended during the Second World War, but reopened in 1946. Roger Manuel and his wife Margaret purchased the newspaper in 1983. In 1992 it was renamed the Plains Producer. The newspaper has won the BankSA Award for the best newspaper with a circulation under 5,000 in 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2008. Its area of coverage extends form Snowtown in the north to Virginia in the south.

This was a free newspaper founded in competition with the older Port Pirie Standard, and the Port Pirie Advocate. The owner, Robert Osborne, owned several newspapers in the mid-north. He ran the small newspaper for almost thirty years with his printer, William Hancock, later joined by Osborne’s brother, Stanley. The newspaper mostly kept a low political profile, but when expressed, its politics supported the Liberal Party and conservatism. This was in contrast to the more socialist views held by the other Port Pirie newspapers. An unusual early feature was a mining column by Robinson Banyer of Kapunda. The newspaper gave increasing space to articles about farming, particularly in the 1920s. At various times ‘newsletters’ (reports) from more than 70 towns and districts around Port Pirie were published in the newspaper. The most regular reports were from Port Germein (in early issues), Petersburg, Quorn, Georgetown and Balaklava. The latter two places were particularly well covered.

Following the closure of the Port Pirie Gazette, Walter South established the Port Pirie Advocate. From the beginning the Advocate was outspoken on political issues. Early editorials reflect the strong socialist views of the owners. Local stationer, Andrew Dungey, wrote regularly to the Advocate, and at one time had his own column discussing ‘land nationalisation’ and (Christian) Social Democracy. The newspaper was a strong supporter of the emerging Labor Party. It gave good coverage to sport, a feature which grew from this period across most of the country press. The geographical coverage included Broken Hill, south to Kapunda, and up to Port Augusta. The most regular reports in early issues were from the towns of Caltowie, Wandearah, Port Germein, Petersburg and Kapunda.

Following the closure of the Port Pirie Gazette, Walter South established the Port Pirie Advocate. From the beginning the Advocate was outspoken on political issues. Early editorials reflect the strong socialist views of the owners. Local stationer, Andrew Dungey, wrote regularly to the Advocate, and at one time had his own column discussing ‘land nationalisation’ and (Christian) Social Democracy. The newspaper was a strong supporter of the emerging Labor Party. It gave good coverage to sport, a feature which grew from this period across most of the country press. The geographical coverage included Broken Hill, south to Kapunda, and up to Port Augusta. The most regular reports in early issues were from the towns of Caltowie, Wandearah, Port Germein, Petersburg and Kapunda.

Although wool and wheat were exported from Port Pirie from the 1840s, the town was not incorporated until 1876. Nor did it have a newspaper until that year. Much of the news in the Port Pirie Gazette was connected with the town's main livelihood - shipping. Promotion of the interests of the port, news of shipping arrivals and departures, regattas, and the activities of visiting sailors (including their appearances in the local courts), deaths by drowning and a variety of related articles fill the newspaper. It had a wide geographic circulation, but the most frequently reported towns included Napperby (Government Dam), Georgetown, Gladstone and Port Germein. Sports news consisted of reports of cricket matches and the annual regatta. An interesting feature in 1883 was a series of ‘letters’ purporting to be written by new female members of the Salvation Army (‘Alleluyia Arriet’ and ‘Unhappy Sal’), discussing the pros and cons of this new and controversial religious group. Owner/editor Tom Anthony was not pleased in 1877 when a rival newspaper was established to cover the 'Areas, titled the Areas Express. By 1884 Anthony was very bitter about the lack of support he felt in Port Pirie, and closed the newspaper.

This newspaper was established in competition with the older Port Pirie Advocate. Politically, the Standard was a supporter of labour, for example reporting sympathetically on the strike by 250 Port Pirie stevedores in 1889. However, from 1895 under owner/editor Charles Meyrick, the newspaper was more conservative disagreeing with the Labor government of Charles Kingston, and disparaging the political Woman's Christian Temperance Union. In 1894 when South Australian women gained the right to vote, editor Berkley Dunn asked, ‘Who are the females, who in many respects, have practically unsexed themselves, that are now clamouring for this change? ...’ (12 July 1894, p. 2). The Standard did not print news from surrounding towns in the way that most country newspapers did. The exception was a Port Germein news column. News from Laura, Crystal Brook and Wandearah also appeared. Local sport was a prominent feature, and like Adelaide newspapers a variety of writers contributed for different sports. The issue of 17 September 1891 contained a coloured lithograph produced by F.W. Niven of Ballarat ‘Views of Port Pirie, South Australia’. In July 1898 Standard amalgamated with the Port Pirie Advocate, to become the Port Pirie Recorder. The Recorder is the current newspaper of the town.

This was a short-lived independent newspaper published in competition to the Recorder.

In 1903 James Walker established the forerunner to the Plains Producer, which he named the Central Advocate. In 1926 this was purchased by Amy Henstridge of the Stanley Herald at Snowtown. At this time the newspaper was named the Wooroora Producer, and later became simply The Producer. The newspaper was suspended during the Second World War, but reopened in 1946. Roger Manuel and his wife Margaret purchased the newspaper in 1983. In 1992 it was renamed the Plains Producer. The newspaper has won the BankSA Award for the best newspaper with a circulation under 5,000 in 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2008. Its area of coverage extends from Snowtown in the north, to Virginia in the south.

The Mercury was founded by Robert Osborne as an adjunct to the Petersburg Times. Initially it was a simple four page spread. Local advertisements were on the front page, local news on the back, while the two inside pages consisted of syndicated articles and stories. In the 19th century, correspondents from a myriad of settlements around Quorn forwarded news items to the newspaper. However news from Quorn, Peterborough and Port Pirie featured. In 1922 news items began appearing on the front page, instead of the usual advertising, beginning with that season's football reports. (The innovation of front page news did not reach the city newspapers for another 20 years.) When Frank Pitman took over in 1923 more prominence was given to local Quorn news. In 1945 the newspaper was obtained by the Transcontinental (Port Augusta). The Mercury ceased in 1956, replaced by a Quorn column in the Transcontinental.

The Burra Record was initially titled the Northern Mail. In 1878 it was taken over by Town Clerk-turned MP and eventual Premier, Frederick Holder. The Record and its offshoot, the Terowie Enterprise, reflected Holder’s political views. The Record changed hands several times, but continued until 1977 when, with the Orroroo Enterprise, it was taken over by the Port Pirie Recorder to become the Review-Times-Record.

Port Pirie's longest running newspaper was founded by Albert South and Charles Meyrick in 1898 as a merger of their respective newspapers, the Port Pirie Advocate and Port Pirie Standard. It has been a daily since 1914. In 1919 the title was shortened to simply the Recorder when it was bought by JE Davidson. Davidson was later the founder of the News. In 1971 the Recorder was briefly merged with the Transcontinental and became the Northern Observer. The move was not popular, and the two titles resumed separate publication. In 1991 it was sold to Rural Press, which is now part of Fairfax Media.

The Review-Times was formed by the merger of three mid-northern newspapers including: Northern Review (Jamestown), Times (Peterborough), and Orroroo Enterprise. During the second half of 1972 two editions were published, a city edition and a country edition. The title changed to Review-Times-Record in 1977 when the Burra Record also became part of the proprietary. In 1989 the title became Flinders News.

The Review-Times was formed by the merger of three mid-northern newspapers including: Northern Review (Jamestown), Times (Peterborough), and Orroroo Enterprise. During the second half of 1972 two editions were published, a city edition and a country edition. The title changed to Review-Times-Record in 1977 when the Burra Record also became part of the proprietary. In 1989 the title became Flinders News.

The Review-Times was formed by the merger of three mid-northern newspapers including: Northern Review (Jamestown), Times (Peterborough), and Orroroo Enterprise. During the second half of 1972 two editions were published, a city edition and a country edition. The title changed to Review-Times-Record in 1977 when the Burra Record also became part of the proprietary. In 1989 the title became Flinders News.

The Review-Times was formed by the merger of three mid-northern newspapers including: Northern Review (Jamestown), Times (Peterborough), and Orroroo Enterprise. During the second half of 1972 two editions were published, a city edition and a country edition. The title changed to Review-Times-Record in 1977 when the Burra Record also became part of the proprietary. In 1989 the title became Flinders News.

The Review-Times was formed by the merger of three mid-northern newspapers including: Northern Review (Jamestown), Times (Peterborough), and Orroroo Enterprise. During the second half of 1972 two editions were published, a city edition and a country edition. The title changed to Review-Times-Record in 1977 when the Burra Record also became part of the proprietary. In 1989 the title became Flinders News.

The Review-Times was formed by the merger of three mid-northern newspapers including: Northern Review (Jamestown), Times (Peterborough), and Orroroo Enterprise. During the second half of 1972 two editions were published, a city edition and a country edition. The title changed to Review-Times-Record in 1977 when the Burra Record also became part of the proprietary. In 1989 the title became Flinders News.

This was a short-lived Port Pirie week-end newspaper. It ceased with the outbreak of the First World War.

Scope was a monthly regional magazine in newspaper format published by the Willson family of the Whyalla News. It was issued as an insert to six local newspapers: the Recorder (Port Pirie), Transcontinental (Port Augusta), Eyre Peninsula Tribune (Cleve), Port Lincoln Times, West Coast Sentinel (Streaky Bay) and Northern Argus (Clare). Scope had a strong agricultural focus.

Pritchard Hall published this newspaper to report sporting results at Petersburg (Peterborough) during the 1913 football season on Saturday evenings after the football game. Coverage included a variety of local sport and some brief coverage of city football and horseracing. On one occasion a Port Pirie sports column appeared. Film reviews and advertisements were included. It included front page photographs and caricatures by ‘Pip’ of local men. Occasionally topics other than sport were discussed, such as the ‘imminent peril to Australia’ of ‘white slave traffic’ (3 May 1913). The newspaper was printed by WH Bennett at the Peterborough Times.

The Stanley Herald was one of several newspapers produced by James Barclay. The newspaper was based in Snowtown, but its coverage included such places as Brinkworth, Bute and Port Broughton. Later the newspaper was run by LF Henstridge and his wife. Publication was suspended between 1941 and 1947 due to labour shortages during the Second World War.

The Terowie Enterprise began with the aim of promoting the development of the town and district and specifically fighting for the proposed railway link to Broken Hill to go through Terowie rather than Petersburg (Peterborough). The editor did not shrink from criticising neighbouring newspapers alternative proposals. However the 1890s drought ended hopes of extending the northern line beyond Oodnadatta and Joseph Pengelley closed the newspaper to found the Orroroo Enterprise. Before 1887 issues contain plenty of sports coverage including interstate (Victorian) and city football and horseracing. Under Pengelley’s editorship there was much discussion of moral issues such as drinking, gambling, and religious interference in politics. Geographical coverage included news from Burra and Cockburn, and later Silverton over the border.

The Petersburg Times began in 1887 with the specific aim to counter moves to have the Great Northern Railway diverted through Terowie. In fact Peterborough became the major railway junction. The newspaper included news from more than 70 towns and localities. Coverage was concentrated on Peterborough, Terowie, Nackara, Dawson, Yunta, Yongala, Quorn and Orroroo. Much space was given to church news, particularly the local Catholic and Baptist churches. Syndicated material was freely used, a common but criticised practice. From 1910 there emerged more chatty social articles and increasing articles and advertisements relating to agriculture. Both World Wars brought a strong focus on the conflict. The government ruled that German-sounding 'Petersburg' must become 'Peterborough' and the newspaper became The Times and Northern Advertiser. Sports reports were dominated by football, reaching a peak in the years before the First World War. From 1919 a 'Times Medal' was created, awarded annually to the most popular local footballer. Photographs began appearing in 1896. The Times was one of a handful of South Australian country newspapers which commissioned a coloured lithographic supplement by FW Niven, included with the issue of 15 December 1893.