General News
25 February, 2025
Stawell's storied history: looking back at 168 years of newspaper publishing
Since 1857, local news has been published in newspapers in Stawell.
Over the years, the residents of Pleasant Creek/The Reefs/Stawell and District have had many versions of a local newspaper that have serviced the community.
1857 in there was The Mount Ararat Advertiser and The Pleasant Creek Times and Ararat Express. The Pleasant Creek Times started in 1858.
A printer named Scott, started Stawell's first newspaper, The Pleasant Creek Times. The small printing office was near the Peace Memorial on Halls Gap Road.
It was published at the same time as the Mount Ararat and Pleasant Creek Advertiser and printed at the same time by Nuthall and Bandfield and later by Bandfield and Merfield.
In 1861, Mount Ararat and Pleasant Creek Advertiser became the chief exponent of Pleasant Creek's requirements.
The residents of the Reefs wanted a local newspaper and Thomas Stubbs of Melbourne undertook the task of starting one and he named it the Pleasant Creek Chronicle in 1867.
It was bought out by a syndicate that started the Stawell Chronicle.
Mr Maynard Ord started an opposition newspaper named the Pleasant Creek News in 1868 which was first published twice a week and amalgamated with the Stawell Chronicle, the other daily.
In 1868, the Stawell Chronicle proprietors purchased the plant and business of the Pleasant Creek Chronicle, which then disappeared.
The amalgamated publication appeared as the Pleasant Creek News and Stawell Chronicle.
Shortly after the change and after a long period of depression on the goldfields, the renamed journal dropped down to a tri-weekly and continued until about 1896.
At the end of 1887, mining prospects improved and a new company formed by R. W. Baxter published a second tri-weekly paper called the Stawell Times and the Wimmera Advertiser.
The first issue was in February 1888.
The title was changed to the Stawell News and Pleasant Creek Chronicle in 1896.
Mr Fleetwood-Smith commenced as publisher in 1906. Fleetwood-Smith was the father of Australian Test Cricketer, 'Chuck' Fleetwood-Smith.
It became the Stawell Times in 1951.
The Stawell News and the Pleasant Creek Chronicle closed in December 1961 and the local newspaper became known as The Stawell Times-News, as it is known today.
It was first published on Tuesday, January 9, 1962. Mr Frank Plaistead remained on as manager and publisher after the merger.
Mr Ken Dadswell became managing editor and publisher in October 1964.
He remained in that position for 21 years up until his retirement.
In recent years The Stawell Times-News was published by Australian Community Media.
In February 2025, West Vic News, publisher of The Ararat Advocate and The Pyrenees Advocate, became the new owner of The Ararat Advertiser and The Stawell Times-News.
Publisher Craig Wilson said the acquisition was significant.
"Local newspapers have a great history in western Victoria. They are the heart and soul of local communities and still have a great future," he said.
"This purchase will give us a chance to consolidate resources while continuing to provide good, interesting content for readers and good results for advertisers.
"Like ACM, we are passionate about newspapers and are committed to delivering the news across the region for a long time to come."