IT'S had different names and owners over time but the Nambucca Guardian has been telling the news of the district for more than a century.
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And with the recent relocation of the Guardian office from Nambucca to Macksville, the precious bound editions that document that fascinating history have also found a new home at Macksville at the Mary Boulton Pioneer Cottage and Museum.
The museum was first established by local pioneer Mary Boulton, and is nestled on the banks of the Nambucca River at Macksville. It includes a number of replica and authentic buildings including a pioneer cottage, barn, cedar getters hut, police lock-up cell and dairy.
The museum houses a number of precious items including original chain saw collection, linen, dresses and kilt, all dating to the early 1900s.
And now, with the papers from as far back as 1911 through to the 1970s, the significance of the museum’s collection has been boosted considerably.
Then and now: scroll across to see how the front page has changed over the years.
To make room for the papers an extension is being planned and it will be known as the Brunsdon Room in honour of a family whose name is synonymous with papers in the region.
In 1919, George Brunsdon (1866 – 1955) purchased and edited the Nambucca and Bellinger News as it was known then, and he continued at the helm until 1947.
Prior to that he was the editor of the Macleay Argus. George started his newspaper career at the Sydney Morning Herald, as a compositor, then moved on to various newspapers in the north-west of the state.
He and his wife Lillian had three surviving sons who all went on to make a career in newspapers.
In 1947 George retired, transferring his newspaper interests to his eldest surviving son, Kevin who continued for two years until the Nambucca News Company (not a Brunsdon family owned business) took over.
Kevin’s brother Wilbur Max (known as Max) (1909-2000) continued as editor and employed his son Dale (pictured below) who completed his printing trade with the paper.
Dale’s father Max continued to edit and work for the newspaper until it eventually went broke and another buyer was found and later Fairfax (the current owner of the Nambucca Guardian) took over, securing the future of news in the region.