Barcoo Independent

Profile

The Barcoo Independent, published by the Blackall Newspaper Group, is unique in that it is one of Australia’s last operating community owned and run newspapers.

In its present form, the Barcoo Independent began production as a bi-monthly print in 2004 after research indicated a local desire for a newspaper with Blackall news as its sole focus. A band of small, but determined volunteers turned this desire into a reality. In addition to the need of a vehicle for local news, the resuscitation of The Barcoo Independent was also viewed as a means of reinvigorating local pride and feelings of ownership, something that desperately needed in a time of hardship, drought and loss – conditions that the community is still dealing with today.

n 2008, the Blackall community donated $60 000 to the Blackall Newspaper Group to enable the Barcoo Independent to grow from a fortnightly publication run by volunteers to a weekly publication which has the capacity to pay a journalist to publish the newspaper each week. At present, the Indy is distributed around the district, in addition to having a growing number of digital subscribers from throughout the state of Queensland and beyond. As the saying goes, “Once you have crossed the Barcoo, you will always return,” and it seems that our loyal band of ex-pat subscribers still like to know the happenings in our small hamlet!

Circulation List

Tambo and Blackall