As one era ends, another begins

I’VE been in newspapers all my full-time working life.

SOAPBOX:

I'VE been in newspapers all my full-time working life. I came here via the scenic route of the South Burnett Times and Gold Coast Bulletin - always with my eyes on the prize.

The Sunshine Coast to a north Brisbane girl was my kind of paradise. It was a fledgling community then - somewhere safe and quiet to bring up a family in the sun and surf.

Journalism was a steady job and satisfying way to earn a living. And regional journalism - with all the long hours, dedication to your community and grassroots reporting of the good, the bad and the ugly that entails - is hard to get out of the blood. I've dabbled in magazines, travel writing and teaching journalism at university on the side. But changing roles at the Daily always fulfilled my career aspirations. That's why I stayed for nearly 35 years. But the daily news cycle, the trolls and the haters wear you down.

On June 27, the final printed Daily will arrive on lawns and in local news stands - the end of an era for many of us, just a few days short of the Daily's 40th anniversary. News will continue online and I hope this community supports the hardworking journalists whose reporting skills, along with a fair amount of blood, sweat and tears, go into every article. I know they will do us proud and continue a fine tradition.

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