Farmer Lee O’Connor leaves imprint as intrepid editor

Lee O’Connor doesn’t under­estimate the power of telling rural stories, amplifying the voices in her community that often go unheard.

‘The community pretty much owns the paper, I’m just its caretaker,’ says Lee O’Connor, editor-owner of The Coonamble Times. Picture: Supplied

Lee O’Connor doesn’t under­estimate the power of telling rural and regional stories, amplifying the voices in her community that often go unheard.

It’s one reason why she decided to buy a struggling local newspaper, The Coonamble Times, when it faced a threat of closure after 130 years of operation.

Ms O’Connor had never worked in journalism before, nor owned her own business, but she knew how important the newspaper was for the NSW western plains town.

“People hugged me in the street and in the supermarket when they found out I bought it – everyone was so excited after being so worried we were going to lose the local paper,” she said.

While she says the business and advertising aspects of the paper were a “steep learning cliff”, she was never short of stories.

Born and raised in Coonamble, she understood her community, like many others, was often at the forefront of major national affairs issues.

“A lot of important issues play out here in Coonamble, like water politics and the controversy of floodplain harvesting, coal-seam gas, the inland railway running through the eastern plains,” she said

“At the same time, we have lots of social issues, like economic disadvantage and a high Indigenous population, and then all the innovation, great characters in a country town and all those amazingly creative people.

“Those are the stories people need to hear to be able to have a sense of place and of being connected to their community, which is something nearly everybody in the world wants.”

Her brave efforts to give a voice to her community is why she has been nominated in this year’s ­annual Shine Awards, which put a spotlight on the untold stories of rural and ­regional women.

A partnership between Aus­tralia’s leading rural and regional masthead The Weekly Times and Harvey Norman, the fifth Shine Awards recognise unsung leaders and ­innovators who make a real ­difference to their communities

Bringing back a newspaper on the brink wasn’t without its ­challenges.

Ms O’Connor also did it during one of the worst droughts the ­region had seen, where many local businesses were forced to shut up shop.

As the fields dried up and local businesses in the township were pummelled, the newspaper’s ­advertising pool drained.

Ms O’Connor’s own mixed sheep and cropping farming business was also suffering, and she had to juggle daily feeding of her livestock while rebuilding the paper.

Four years, a crippling drought and a global pandemic later, The Coonamble Times is now a flourishing regional journalism success story.

It has grown from eight pages up to 24, employs three full-time staff and is published in print and online.

“The community pretty much owns the paper, I’m just its caretaker. It’s been going since 1885 and I’m just the latest in a long line before me.

“We will make sure it services the community, and keeps going for the next generation.”

Readers are encouraged to nominate women whose stories deserve to be told, with winners to be announced in November. To nominate someone for the Shine Awards, go to shineawards.com.au