In October the Gully News team was well represented at the Community Newspapers Victoria (CNAV) conference held at the York on Lilydale in Mount Evelyn. We gathered to discuss publishing and the growth of community newspapers.

For a first-timer it was a heartening experience to be among so many people brimming over with community spirit. They were enthusiastic about celebrating and supporting their local people.

The conference was opened by MC Sandi Miller of the Warrandyte Diary, with a welcoming address from CNAV President Jens-Kristian Toft Hansen (Ferntree
Gully News).

Sessions for the day included:

• Information from the Victorian Electoral Commission on reporting for local government elections
• ‘Answering your Burning Questions’ with journalist Jeanette Severs
• ‘Online Publishing’ in the age of the 24 hour news cycle with James Poyner of the Warrandyte Diary
• ‘Illustrating your Point’ with cartoonist Jock Macneish OAM from the Warrandyte Diary

The day concluded with the Annual Awards Night.

Beth Duffy and Meg Hellyer

Awards presented to newspapers in Knox

The Rowville-Lysterfield Community News won Best Photograph as well as Best Writing by a person 18 years or younger; and was a finalist for Best Sports Reporting. Congratulations to David Gilbert and team at RLCN!

The Studfield Wantirna Community News, produced by Janet Claringbold and team, was a finalist in Best Writing by a person 18 years or younger, and Best Layout and Design.

Ferntree Gully News was a finalist in awards for Best Photograph and Best History Story. Judges’ comments are as follows:

Best History Story
Ferntree Gully 1 – but who owned that number? By Ray Peace

Informative story about the history of the telephone service in Ferntree Gully in the context of international communication developments. The local doctor, Donald Simpson, was so keen to get the telephone that he was happy to pay for the line extension to the town, but Ferntree Gully was fortunate that the phone line was constructed along the railway line by the PMG. It is an interesting story of something, instant communication, that we take for granted now.

Best Photograph
One More Weekend – Photographer: Barbara Oehring

Photo by Barbara Oehring

Barbara’s photograph of rock band One More Weekend is an example of the shot working because the photographer is ‘invisible’, and the subjects are fully engaged with what they’re doing. It’s carefully framed so the drummer is visible between the guitarists giving the shot a layered effect that draws you in. And its clever use of a wide-angle lens: what could have been a distracting detail in the cluttered background has, in this instance, helped tell the story of a garage band in rehearsal. An energetic and atmospheric shot in which you can almost hear the music.