NewsMail
| Company type | Digital newspaper |
|---|---|
| Industry | News media |
| Founded | 1861 |
| Founder | Thomas White |
| Headquarters | Bundaberg , Australia |
Area served | Bundaberg and surrounding Queensland coastal and rural communities |
Key people | Shelley Strachan (Editor), Ingrid Barham (Chief Executive Officer) |
| Products | Digital newspaper, previously print newspaper (ceased June 2020) |
| Parent | News Corp Australia |
| Website | news-mail |
The NewsMail operates as a digital newspaper headquartered in Bundaberg, Queensland, Australia. It delivers a diverse array of news, covering both national and international topics. Initially established as a family-run enterprise, it has since become part of the regional division of News Corp Australia, the largest newspaper publisher in the country. The print version was discontinued in June 2020, with the publication moving exclusively to an online platform.
History
The publication traces its origins to 1861 when Thomas White launched it under the name Burnett Argus. Over the years, it underwent multiple relocations and rebrandings—first becoming The Maryborough Mail in 1869, then The Mount Perry Mail by 1872, before finally settling in Bundaberg as The Bundaberg Mail. By the early 1900s, the local newspaper scene was dominated by two tri-weekly papers: The Mail and The Star.
In 1907, The Bundaberg Mail made history as the city’s inaugural daily newspaper. Sidney H. Barton took ownership in 1917. A significant merger in 1925 united the Bundaberg Mail with the Bundaberg News to create the Bundaberg Daily News and Mail. The title was updated to Bundaberg News-Mail in 1942, with the hyphen being removed during the early 2000s. In 1993, NewsMail broadened its reach by purchasing the Guardian, a weekly community publication serving Bundaberg.
Economic difficulties during the Great Depression led to consolidation of ownership. In 1958, Muriel Cooper Barton and her family sold majority shares to A. Dunn and Co., proprietors of several Queensland newspapers. By 1961, ownership rested with a consortium of eight provincial daily newspapers. Following Queensland Press Ltd’s acquisition of the Cairns Post in 1965, these publishers established Provincial Investments Pty Ltd (later known as APN), based in Rockhampton under CEO Lex Dunn.
On 27 July 1970, NewsMail became Queensland’s pioneer newspaper—and Australia’s second—to implement computerised photosetting alongside digital offset printing technology. That same year, its headquarters moved to Brisbane while the Bundaberg office was relocated within the city.
In 2013, extensive flooding inflicted damage on NewsMail’s Bundaberg premises and archives; nevertheless, staff continued their coverage of regional events without interruption.
News Corp took over Queensland’s regional newspapers from Here, There & Everywhere in 2016; NewsMail remains part of its portfolio.
In 2019, NewsMail transitioned from a 405mm format to a more compact 350mm tabloid size. Until June 25, 2020, its print edition was released Monday through Saturday.
NewsMail serves not only Bundaberg but also nearby coastal towns such as Bargara and Burnett Heads, extending its circulation into rural communities including Miriam Vale, Agnes Water, Mundubbera, Gayndah, Eidsvold, Childers, and Biggenden.
Title history
| Approximate Dates | issue numbering | ISSN | Titling |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1862–1869 | Burnett Argus: Gayndah and Central Queensland Advertiser | ||
| 1869–1870 | Maryborough Mail | ||
| 1872–1875 | Mount Perry Mail and Mining Times, Burnett, Wide Bay and Bundaberg Advertiser
Title varies: 25th Jan.-18 July 1872, The Mount Perry Mail, Burnett, Wide Bay and Bundaberg Advertiser. | ||
| 1876–1892 | No. 203 - No. 1970 | Bundaberg and Mount Perry Mail and General Advertiser | |
| 12 December 1892 – 1917 | No. 1971 - | 2205-1643 (print)
2205-1651 (online) |
Bundaberg Mail and Burnett Advertiser |
| 1917–1925 | Vol. 47, no. 6374 - | 2205-166X (print)
2205-1678 (online) |
Bundaberg Mail |
| 1925–1940 | 2205-782X | Bundaberg Daily News and Mail
Merged with Bundaberg Daily News to form Bundaberg Daily News and Mail. | |
| 8 July 1940 – 14 November 1942 | Vol. 33, no. 167 - Vol. 35, no. 272 | 2205-9059 | Bundaberg Daily News-Mail |
| 1942–1961 | Bundaberg News-Mail | ||
| 1961–27 June 2020 | News-Mail (Bundaberg, Qld.) | ||
| June 2020– | NewsMail. News Corp ceased print publication of several regional newspapers, shifting to online-only. |
Content
NewsMail provides coverage of local, national, and global news, with special attention to sports, lifestyle, community events, employment opportunities, motoring, real estate, obituaries, and classified advertisements. It caters primarily to coastal and rural communities throughout Queensland, earning a reputation for accurately representing regional lifestyles and addressing the needs of its audience.
Under Queensland’s public sector information reforms, NewsMail plays an essential role in informing residents about policy changes. Despite the typical resource constraints faced by regional publishers, it remains actively engaged in delivering firsthand reporting on policy matters.
Printed newspaper
Originally launched in 1938 under the name News-Mail, this daily publication was distributed from Monday through Saturday. At its height, weekday subscriptions covered 40% of Bundaberg’s population, with an additional 5% subscribing on Saturdays.
By 2015, NewsMail ranked ninth nationwide among daily newspapers by circulation, averaging 8,461 copies each day. The combined audience for print and digital editions reached roughly 36,000 on weekdays and grew to approximately 38,000 on Saturdays.
In response to a decline in advertising revenue triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, News Corp halted many rural print editions in April 2020. Consequently, NewsMail ended its print run after June 25, 2020, shifting exclusively to digital publication alongside other regional Queensland titles such as the Daily Mercury and Sunshine Coast Daily.
Digital newspaper
NewsMail introduced a digital version of its newspaper that offers immediate access to daily news content. The platform highlights local stories while also covering national and international developments. It functions as an interactive and accessible online resource for audiences in Queensland, northern New South Wales, and across Australia.
News app
Around 2019, NewsMail launched a mobile and tablet news application designed to allow users to follow specific topics and receive alerts. This app was discontinued in April 2021 due to outdated technology; readers were encouraged to use The Courier Mail app for ongoing Queensland news updates.
Awards
In 1980, Frank Davis from News-Mail earned the Walkley Award for Best Story in a Provincial Newspaper. Two decades later, in 2000, NewsMail’s team received the Walkley Award for Coverage of Suburban or Regional Affairs for their reporting on the Childers backpacker fire incident while Rod Rehbein was serving as editor.
Directors
Steve Walker served as director-editor until his death in 1925; Sidney Barton then took over as proprietor and editor until 1931. Muriel Hooper Barton held roles as director and office manager while Jack Cecil Brady acted as managing director.
In 1965, director Carl Nielson opposed a takeover bid by Queensland Press Pty Ltd, preserving NewsMail’s affiliation with Australian Provincial Newspapers Ltd. Malcolm Smith was appointed general manager in 1992 and was succeeded by Wayne Tomkins in 2007 and Angus Irwin in 2011.
By the year 2020, Megan Sheehan held the position of Editor with Ingrid Barham acting as Chief Executive Officer. Currently, Shelley Strachan serves as Editor for NewsMail along with several other Wide Bay publications.