Narrogin Observer celebrates 120 years of regional news, standing as the Wheatbelt’s oldest newspaper

One man’s will to share the stories, achievements, community and tribulations of the Wheatbelt has stood the test of time as the Narrogin Observer celebrates 120 years in print.

Now the oldest newspaper in the Wheatbelt, the first copies were distributed on August 26, 1905 from a small iron shed, formally a chaff house.

Operations then moved to 21 Fortune Street in 1926, where it continued as a family dynasty under founding editor Edgar Sydney Hall, his wife Alice, and three sons Ray, Clarrie and Vern for more than 70 years.

Mr Hall’s granddaughter Sue Hogg said it was “just amazing” to see her family’s paper thrive for more than a century.

“We saw all sorts of changes, where they had the linotypes and the set, how they used to interleave the papers and do it all manually, and then rolling them up ready for delivery,” she said.

“It was so fascinating watching the lead melting and these little squares coming down when they were typing the linotype, rolling them and putting the paper all together.”

Born in New South Wales, Mr Hall’s love for news was sparked while writing for a Sydney newspaper.

Another of his granddaughters, Lorraine Baker, said a man approached Mr Hall and asked him if “he would be capable of running a newspaper”, and he thought the man was “mad or joking”.

“He was very good at it, very good at writing stories, also an excellent artist, and his grammar and spelling was impeccable,” Ms Baker said.

“He was always making sure the Observer never went out with any mistakes. He was very fastidious about that.”

Ms Hogg remembered her grandfather’s dark office which was lit by a single small desk lamp, and him peering over his glasses at the paper ensuring everything was perfect before print.

After moving west, Mr Hall lived in various small towns and established a second newspaper, the Great Southern Leader in Pingelly, with his brother-in-law Charles Carpenter, which amalgamated with the Observer in 1934.

Ms Baker said the paper was “absolutely loved”, as was Mr Hall, because of his habit of travelling to all the nearby country towns and relaying everyone’s information in the paper, with the lack of phones making the paper a popular way of communication.

She said he would also write “scathing reviews” of the local councillors in the editorial column, “justly so”, and “criticise anyone out of touch with life”.

Ms Hogg and Ms Baker said the socials page was the most popular, describing it as the “gossip” column.

Ms Hogg said “everyone’s business was in the socials page”, including births, deaths, marriages, and if someone had visitors or went on holiday.

“The paper was very sought-after,” she said.

“The sporting clubs and players always looked for their names in the paper — it did bring the community together.”

Ms Hogg described her grandfather as a “figurehead” in town.

“Dad (Vern Hall) used to say that when the newspaper came out, Grandad Edgar would go down the street and if he didn’t set a fight or a good argument within a couple of hours, he’d think that paper was no good,” she said.

“And we were never allowed to go to any shop that didn’t advertise in the paper — when Coles came down, we could only go to the IGA.

“(You have) got to support the hand that feeds you. Dad was always very strict on that.”

Mr Hall left a lasting impression on Narrogin.

Aside from the Observer, he was part of the town’s first Australia National Association and the Narrogin Golf Club, where he received an honorary life membership in 1907, and he was appointed warden of the Anglican Church.

When his sons took over, the paper remained a strong fixture in the region.

Ms Baker said during World War II an influx of immigrants came to Narrogin from Europe and were forced to work on the railway because of their poor English.

“My father (Clarrie Hall) decided he would put one on the front page each week,” she said.

“We called them new Australians, and Dad would talk about their life in Germany, Holland, Italy, Switzerland, and he would show people what they did in their home town.”

Ms Baker said she was very proud her father used his role at the paper to help the newcomers thrive in Narrogin.

On February 5, 2005, Mr Hall’s great-grandson Jarron Baker was featured on the Observer’s front page when he visited home, reminiscing about his family’s achievements.

A change of hands came in 1978, when a Narrogin syndicate of seven families bought the paper, with John Proud taking the reins as editor.

About 20 staff members — journalists, advertising staff, typesetters, page and graphic designers, printers, collaters and a receptionist — helped deliver the news of towns as far as 1½ hours from Narrogin.

Former reporter Janice Sieber started her journalism career under Mr Proud as a cadet in 1988, remembering him as a great editor, with everyone flocking to read the editorial column he wrote.

“He was always out and about talking to people, they always knew the door was open,” she said.

“It helped give people a voice. There was always letters to the editors section, people could write in and voice their opinion.

“It was a really good community family atmosphere to work with the company.”

The former journalist said the 1990s were a time of big change.

Pictures printed in the darkroom started being developed at the new Narrogin camera store, and typewriters were swapped for computers.

“One of my jobs was to deliver the papers to Corrigin, dropping them off at Wickepin and towns along the way, and I’d collect stories on my way back,” she said.

“I really loved it because the people you met and the connections you made, even now people go ‘why are you familiar?’ and I say I used to work for the Narrogin Observer.”

Now retired on her Narrogin farm, Ms Sieber said she was glad to see the paper still going and she believed the Observer still had a place despite the rise in social media and online news.

“I enjoy seeing the big issues, like the wind turbines, things people need to know about, and you can’t rely on getting the proper facts from social media,” she said.

“And good human-interest stories. It’s always nice when someone’s recognised in the community, whether it’s volunteering or a milestone birthday.”

Once printing alongside The Advocate, Reliance Weekly, Wagin Argus, Boddington Budget and more, the Observer has outlived several country newspapers, and is determined to continue delivering important stories to the region.

The paper was sold to West Australian Newspapers in October 1993, and operated from Fortune Street until 2000, which was later divided into two retail stores in 2004.

The tall brick building, now occupied by variety store Thing-A-Me-Bobs, won a Town of Narrogin heritage award in 1998, gaining a plaque.

Junior reporters bursting with ambition now produce the Observer from their homes in the region, with the post remaining a coveted breeding ground for learning the ropes as a regional journalist, covering sport, emergency, court, community, arts, events, and all things local.

The Observer continues to stand strong, giving those in the Wheatbelt a voice and a reliable source to keep up with their community.