The Bunyip Explained

The Bunyip is a weekly newspaper, first printed on 5 September 1863, and originally published and printed in Gawler, South Australia. Its distribution area includes the Gawler, Barossa, Light, Playford, and Adelaide Plains areas. Along with The Murray Pioneer, The River News, and The Loxton News, The Bunyip was now owned (since 2003) by the Taylor Group of Newspapers and printed in Renmark.[1]

On 1 April 2020, The Bunyip announced that it would cease publication "indefinitely" as a result of losses due to the coronavirus crisis.[2] However, due to public support, the newspaper was able to return shortly afterwards.[3] In August–October 2020, with the temporary closure of The Border Watch, The Bunyip briefly became South Australia's oldest rural newspaper still in print.

History

Originally a monthly publication, the first issue of The Bunyip, subtitled "Gawler Humbug Society's Chronicle" was issued on 5 September 1863, consisted of eight pages and was priced at 6d.[4] The name was chosen because "the Bunyip is the true type of Australian Humbug!"[5] It was warmly greeted by the South Australian Register, observing that it was "full of racy articles and local hits ... a very humorous article on the Gawler Agricultural Society's last dinner, which (was) not only very amusing but strictly correct ... (and should) undoubtedly prove a great success."[6]

With the paper's success, publication increased to bi-monthly in February 1865 (there was none printed in January), appearing on the first and third Saturday of each month. With new printing machinery, the paper upsized to broadsheet format, and its title had become The Bunyip or Gawler Chronicle and Northern Advertiser.[7] The following year it became a weekly. By this time however, the paper's original offbeat stance had quite vanished and it had become a regular newspaper.

With three newspapers published in Gawler at the time, conditions allowed William Barnet, the proprietor, to purchase rival the Gawler Times (5 March 1869 to 27 June 1873).[8] Another rival, the weekly (later biweekly) Gawler Mercury (27 November 1875 – 8 July 1876)[9] also folded after a brief run of less than nine months. In February 1885 The Bunyips building was destroyed by fire.[10] Barnet again wasted no time in having its competitor of seven years, the Gawler Standard (11 January 1878 – 27 February 1885), take over printing duties, then arranged with J. N. Richards (died 23 August 1886),[11] its proprietor, for an immediate merger.[12]

In January 1969, the newspaper absorbed the Junction and Gilbert Valley News, which had been published in Hamley Bridge since February 1940.[13]

Controversies

The Bunyip's first issue elicited a libel case against the publisher, William Barnet, by one Dr. Home Popham who had set up a hospital in the town and who had advertised boastfully in The Northern Star. The court proceedings were a merry affair with Mr. Stow appearing for the defence and the jury found for the plaintiff, awarding damages of one shilling.[14] Four years later, Barnet was sued in the SA. Supreme Court by Henry Edward Bright MP, for libel and found not guilty. This was greeted by both The Register and the Advertiser as a landmark decision.[15]

List of owners

List of editors

Ben Lennon, November 2023 - current

Distribution

Like other Taylor Group publications, the newspaper is also available online.[32]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: The Loxton News - The Taylor Group of Newspapers. www.loxton-news.com.au. 2018-04-21.
  2. Web site: 2020-04-01. SA country newspaper closes "indefinitely" and Messenger stops printing. 2020-09-15. InDaily. en.
  3. Web site: Dickson. Gary. Local news sources are closing across Australia. We are tracking the devastation (and some reasons for hope). 2020-09-15. The Conversation. 8 June 2020 . en.
  4. News: [No heading]. ]. Bunyip . Gawler, SA . 5 September 1863 . 22 July 2013 . 1 . National Library of Australia.
  5. Web site: The Bunyip . 2000 . https://web.archive.org/web/20060721004112/http://www.bunyippress.com.au/fixed/history.html . 21 July 2006 . Home Page . The Bunyip, (Gawler's Weekly Newspaper) . Beneath the nineteenth-century dignity of colonial Gawler ran an undercurrent of excitement. Somewhere in the mildness of the spring afternoon an antiquated press clacked out a monotonous rhythm with a purpose never before known in the town. Then the undercurrent burst in a wave of jubilation—Gawler's first newspaper, The Bunyip, was on the streets..
  6. News: Gawler . . Adelaide . 7 September 1863 . 22 July 2013 . 3 . National Library of Australia. High praise indeed!
  7. News: Advertising. . . Adelaide . 7 January 1865 . 23 July 2013 . 3 . National Library of Australia.
  8. News: Gawler. 2018-03-05. en-gb.
  9. Book: Gawler mercury. 1875. Gawler, S. Aust. : Robert Henry Ball. English.
  10. News: Fire at Gawler . . Adelaide . 27 February 1885 . 16 January 2015 . 6 . National Library of Australia.
  11. News: Obituary . . LI . 12,422 . South Australia . 6 September 1886 . 27 January 2022 . 2 (Supplement to the South Australian Register.) . National Library of Australia.
  12. News: Newspaper Changes at Gawler . . 7 March 1885 . 16 January 2015 . 36 . National Library of Australia.
  13. Web site: Laube. Anthony. LibGuides: SA Newspapers: F-L. 2018-08-17. guides.slsa.sa.gov.au. en.
  14. News: Law and Criminal Courts . . Adelaide . 18 March 1864 . 22 July 2013 . 3 . National Library of Australia.
  15. News: Law of Libel . . Adelaide . 29 February 1868 . 22 July 2013 . 2 . National Library of Australia.
  16. News: Family Notices . . LXXXI . 21,630 . South Australia . 7 March 1916 . 14 September 2020 . 4 . National Library of Australia.
  17. News: Mr. Robert Henry Barnet. . . LXXIV . 5,662 . South Australia . 8 September 1917 . 14 September 2020 . 20 . National Library of Australia.
  18. News: Roseworthy Old Boys . . 12 . 605 . South Australia . 22 December 1923 . 2 May 2016 . 5 . National Library of Australia.
  19. News: The Late Mr. F. L. Barnet . The Bunyip . 4,753 . South Australia . 28 March 1941 . 14 September 2020 . 4 . National Library of Australia.
  20. Web site: SA Newspapers: The Bunyip. State Library of South Australia. 2 May 2016. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20160604081826/http://www.samemory.sa.gov.au/site/page.cfm?c=2596. 4 June 2016.
  21. Web site: The Bunyip farewells a legend. The Bunyip. Rob McLean. 16 July 2014. 2 May 2016.
  22. News: Concerning People . . Adelaide . 28 September 1910 . 23 July 2013 . 6 . National Library of Australia.
  23. News: Barossa Mining News. . Bunyip . Gawler, SA . 9 January 1874 . 23 July 2013 . 2 . National Library of Australia.
  24. News: Topics of the Day . . Adelaide . 8 March 1869 . 23 July 2013 . 2 . National Library of Australia.
  25. News: Obituary . . Qld. . 10 February 1932 . 23 July 2013 . 3 . National Library of Australia.
  26. News: Our Adelaide Letter . The Border Watch. Mount Gambier, SA . 23 January 1875 . 23 July 2013 . 3 . National Library of Australia.
  27. News: Our City Letter . . SA . 17 August 1880 . 23 July 2013 . 3 . National Library of Australia.
  28. News: Gawler . . SA . 2 November 1880 . 23 July 2013 . 3 . National Library of Australia.
  29. News: Mrs. J. M. Congreve. . . Adelaide . 27 December 1934 . 23 July 2013 . 14 . National Library of Australia.
  30. News: A Versatile Octogenarian . . Adelaide . 31 March 1909 . 23 July 2013 . 8 . National Library of Australia.
  31. News: About 30 Years as Editor and Manager. . . Clare, SA . 9 May 1946 . 23 July 2013 . 1 . National Library of Australia.
  32. Web site: The Bunyip : April 18th 2018, Page 1. bunyip.realviewdigital.com. 2018-04-21.

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