How we began

The Australian suburban newspaper industry has a long, stong and respected history.

Founding

The Australian suburban newspaper industry began in 1843 with the Parramatta Chronicle and the Cumberland Times (NSW). The Williamstown Chronicle was the first Victorian suburban newspaper in 1854, followed in 1858 by the Brighton Southern Cross and the Footscray Advertiser in 1859.

Prices ranged from a penny to a penny-halfpenny.

Free circulation started in the 1920s but during the 1930s circulation was still a mixture of "free" and "paid". In 1941 a wartime crisis over newsprint restrictions led a group of Melbourne publishers to form the Melbourne Suburban Newspapers' Association. Sydney publishers formed the similar Suburban Newspapers' Association of New South Wales in 1969.

The post-war building boom in Melbourne and Sydney decentralised many community and commercial developments. New, free suburban newspapers grew almost as quickly as housing estates. In the 1960s the few remaining paid circulation newspapers switched to free distribution. In 1968 ASNA (Australian Suburban newspapers Association) was formed.

In 2002, the name was changed to Community Newspapers of Australia (CNA) to attempt to more accurately describe our members.
Divisions

The CNA has two divisions: - Northern (New South Wales, NT, ACT and Queensland) - Southern (Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia and Western Australia).
Life Members of the CNA

The CNA is has a number of Life Members. These are people who have made a significant contribution to the organisation over a long period of time.

Keith Everett - 1974
Charles Holloway - 1977
Ron Stewart - 1988
Len Croker - 1982
Peter Isaacson - 1984
Phil Engisch - 1984
John Mott - 1985
Win Everett - 1986
Don Brown - 1988
Ray Foletta - 1991
Ian Muddle - 1999
Alan Harris - 1999
Jean Everett - 1999
Graham Harris - 2001