Riverine Herald

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The Riverine Herald publishes Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for circulation throughout both the Campaspe and Murray shires. It is one newspaper among the McPherson Media Group.

1 Origins
2 Staff
3 Editorial Campaigns
4 Archives
5 External link
6 References

[edit] Origins

The newspaper was founded at Echuca on 1 July, 1863, with its first editor as Robert Ross Haverfield (1819-1889) and joint owners James Joseph Casey (1831-1913) and Angus Mackay (1824-1886) - the latter also being one of the proprietors of the Bendigo Advertiser.

Haverfield was a drover, grazier, gold miner, explorer and journalist. He was born on 26 February 1819 at Bideford, North Devon, England as the son of a Royal Navy Commander R.T. Haverfield, and his wife, née Ross. He emigrated to Australia in 1838 where he went droving cattle from Albury to Melbourne, working an alluvial claim near Bendigo, and started the Bendigo Advertiser with A.M. Lloyd (which he later sold to Mackay).

It became a daily on 1 July, 1878, and continued until 31 March, 1956, before reverting to a tri-weekly issue.

In 1995 the Riverine Herald first provided local call Internet access to its community.

[edit] Staff

In the same year as founding Riverine Herald as Echuca's first newspaper, Robert Ross married Marianna Collier.

Newspaper proprietor and politician, Angus Mackay was born on 26 January 1824 in Aberdeen, Scotland. He had worked as a headmaster in Sydney prior to buying Haverfield's share in the Bendigo Advertiser and later helping to start The Riverine Herald.

Journalist and short story writer William Astley (1854-1911) had work published by the Herald.

[edit] Editorial Campaigns

The Riverine Herald has championed many causes throughout its history. These included calls for the de-snagging the Murray River so that it would be navigable, and the construction of weirs on it to assist irrigation which has made this one of Australia's major food bowl regions. The paper has alos pushed for more environmental awareness with its "Minding the Murray" campaign.

[edit] Archives

The Echuca Historical Society at the corner of Dickson and Warren streets, Echuca, holds microfilm archival copies going back to 1863. Likewise the holdings for the Swan Hill Genealogical & Historical Society spans 1869 to 1884.