The earliest chapter of local press history in the Diamond Valley can be traced to October 31, 1873, with the first issue of the Evelyn Observer, published from a school house at Kangaroo Ground. The newspaper changed its name to The Advertiser after the time of the arrival of the railway to Hurst’s Bridge (Hurstbridge) in 1912.

Andrew Ross, the district’s first school master was the Evelyn Observer’s first proprietor, and he enlisted the help of a printer, John Rossiter, who became the first editor.[  hey served from 1873 to 1885. Then began the extraordinary period of 36-year service of Robert Charles Harris, followed by C.T. Harris “for Executrix”, partnered for a whilefor several years by T.W. Beard.

The earliest surviving issue is October 15, 1875, held at the State Library of Victoria.

The newspaper circulated in Eltham, Lilydale, Heidelberg, Whittlesea, Yan Yean, Kangaroo Ground, Diamond Creek, Anderson’s Creek, Alphington, Ivanhoe, Epping, Northcote, Preston, Yarra Flats, Morang, Yering, Caledonia, Healesville, Fernshaw, Marysville, Greensborough, Templestowe, Ringwood and Upper Yarra.

Robert Charles Harris became the proprietor and editor from 1885 and continued in this role until his death in 1921. The newspaper continued under abridged titles of the Hurstbridge and then Eltham Advertiser, it was overtaken by other titles across the Diamond Valley and ceased publication in 1942.

Decimus Horace Mott moved from Albury to Northcote in 1924 to take over the Leader newspaper at Northcote and Preston which had been established in 1888.
In July 1927, Decimus acquired The Advertiser at Hurstbridge from George Philip Armstrong.
Single copies were on sale at threepence each.

The local Advertiser office was alongside the Hurstbridge Post Office Store which was operated by H.W. Smith – “Authorised News Agent for All Papers”.
The Mott name first appeared on the imprint on the front-page from the July 8, 1927, issue: “Printed and published by Decimus Horace Mott at the office, Amos St, Hurstbridge”.

Much of the content in initial editions was about Northcote and Heidelberg, ‘lifted’ from the Leader. In the July 15 issue, an announcement was made: “Within the last few weeks the Advertiser has been purchased by Messrs D.H. Mott and Sons, who also conduct the Northcote and Preston Leader.
“The Advertiser has been greatly increased in size and improved and this necessitates the installation of larger and more modern plant the paper is being temporarily turned out from our branch office.

“We ask the indulgence of opur large and increasing circle of readers during the transition periodm which we are endeavouring to make as short as possible.
“As all are aware, the removal of heavy machines is work which requires time.”
The July 22 issue had an item headlined ‘The Advertiser: Congratulations On Its Improvement’.
“By every mail we are receiving letters of congratulation on the marked improvements effected in the Advertiser.

“We print a letter from Mr W.A. Laver, president, Kinglake Progress Association, giving his views – ‘I otice already a great improvement in the style of the Advertiser, and congratulate you and hope that your endeavours will be justly appreciated, and that you will get an even wider circulation.’
“We would remind our readers that newspapers, like other businesses, cannot live on air, and require the material support of all in the way of becoming subscribers, advertisers and also patrons of the printing department; also their moral support. All items of news, social, sporting, etc., are welcomed, as well as letters on current topics, etc.

“In order to keep up the standard of the paper, and still further improve it we wish the whole-hearted support of all local and district residents. The efficiency of a newspaper depends on the support accorded to it.”

The new proprietors advised their advertising charges:
• 12 words under the heading of For Sale, Wanted, &c., 1s. per inserton.
• Over 12 to 18 words, 2s. per insertion.
• Over 18 Words. Advertisements will be charged strictly by the inch, 4s. per insertion.
“Births, Deaths, Marriages and Bereavement Notices 3s., verse additional.
“Special contracts for standing advertisements.”

The Mott family’s control of The Advertiser lasted nine years. They sold the title at a time when their Northcote Leader expanded as a free distribution paper (Leader-Budget). Enter Herbert Arthur Davies ‘of Kinglake’. “In taking control of The Advertiser I feel that I.am not coming as a stranger to the district. For the last three years I have been interested in farming at Kinglake and in my weekly visits to the mountains I have met many residents and subscribers to the newspaper.

“I am a native of Victoria and have been engaged in press work in this State for over 30 years, first in Bendigo, and later representing the Country Press in Mel-bourne. For the last 25 years I have been a member of the literary staff of the Melbourne Argus where I was in turn chief law reporter, leader of the State Parlia-mentary staff, leader of the Federal parliamentary staff, deputy chief of staff, first assistant sub editor and finally in charge of cables and foreign news.”
Davies had been State President of the Australian Journalists’ Association. He was a member of the Diploma of Journalism Committee of the University of Melbourne.

Puzzle over final publisher

The Eltham and Whittlesea Shires’ Advertiser had had a proud history over 69 years.
The weekly newspaper had started on October 1, 1873, as The Evelyn Observer (and South and East Bourke Record).

The newspaper name changed from The Evelyn Observer to The Advertiser. George Philip Armstrong had proprietorship in 1923, and Peter Beaton was owner from 1924-26, before Armstrong returned for 15 months. (In 1895, Armstrong had been a partner in the Opunake Times, at Taranaki, New Zealand. In the 1930s, he briefly owned The Yea Chronicle.)

Leader Publishing Co. boss Decimus Horace Mott took over the business from July 15, 1927. The Advertiser was conducting its local business from the Hurstbridge Post Office premises in Amos St, but the printing of the newspaper was moved to the Leader headquarters in High St, Northcote.

From June 19, 1936, Herbert Arthur Davies ‘of Kinglake’, took over proprietorship. Frank G. Perversi, in his 2002 memoirs – From Tobruk to Borneo: Memoirs of an Italian-Aussie Volunteer – gives a snapshot of the times. “I found myself on the staff – status ‘cub’ – of the Eltham and Whittlesea Advertiser which covered the whole area encompassed by Greensborough, Eltham, Warrandyte, Panton Hill, Queenstown (now St And-rews), Kinglake, Kinglake West, Whittlesea, Arthurs Creek, Mernda, Tanks Corner (now Yarrambat) and back to Greensborough. The paper was set and printed by Motts in High Street, Northcote.

“I was the sole member of the staff engaged in general reporting, advertising space salesman, studying journalism and sometimes delivering small parcels of newspapers to the scattered agents. The paper was owned and operated by Herbert Arthur Davies, ex cable sub-editor of The Argus and erstwhile lecturer in journalism at Melbourne University, a tall, dry, reserved, ethically and austerely cynical man who seemed to have outlived humour but who occasionally emitted a single ‘ha’ in appreciation of a play on words – usually uttered by him as an example of a journalistic faux pas.

“A returned soldier, he was an aloof man but kind and helpful. My wage was one pound plus two one-hour lessons per week on many aspects of journalism which encompassed much more than one would expect. Mounted on a 500cc Silver Streak AJS motorcycle supplied by my parents (yes, I was lucky that they were willing and able to help me) I systemically covered the whole area in search of news, reporting anything and everything. Accidents and crimes from police rounds, courts of petty sessions, municipal council meetings, progress associations, sports events and sports clubs, agricultural shows, floods and fires, births, marriages and deaths (hatched, matched and dispatched).

“I covered everything, even describing social events, annual balls and the gowns worn by the social beauties. A gossip column too and the occasional feature article. All day I rode, refreshed by the odd cold beer at those fine news sources, the little bush pubs, collecting material – and wrote until 2am. I loved it. Only in features or obituaries was I permitted my free flowing style.

“In news reportage, the formula was simple and rigid: ‘newsworthiness, brevity, accuracy, thoroughness and never mispell a name’. Before many months, the blue pencil was scarcely used and I was writing most of the paper. No comparable progress was made as a space salesman but the experience of interacting with a broad spectrum of people while news gathering was to prove of great value many years later as a real estate agent. The future looked good.

“Shortly after the war was declared in 1939, Mr Davies retired, selling the paper to Mr Arthur Brindley, a young journalist who in retrospect I suspect paid all he had and perhaps more to buy it. In any case, he wasted no time in warning me that he could not afford the appropriate wage. Not that he really needed anyone; it was only a one-man paper.”

Brindley took over The Advertiser in October 1939, just weeks after the start of the war. Davies announced the sale in the issue of September 29, 1939:
“This is the last issue of The Advertiser under my editorship, as I will be leaving next week for Charlton where I have bought the local paper, the Charlton Tribune.
“The Advertiser will in future be conducted by the new editor and proprietor, Mr. A. Brindley.

In this, the final issue under my control, may I take this opportunity of thanking the subscribers and advertisers for the support they have given me in the past and for the great help I have received from them in gathering news over such a wide area as that covered by The Advertiser. Mr. Brindley is an experienced journalist and will, I feel sure, give them an efficient and accurate news service.

“The local paper is the only means people in country districts possess of learning of the happenings in their district, and those who conduct such journals have to depend to a great extent on the assistance and goodwill of the residents.May I express the hope that the same support and encouragement in the way of news and advertisements will be given to Mr. Brindley as was given to me.”

Davies had been living at Luck Street, Eltham. Advertisers were asked to phone JW-1046, the office of Leader Publishing Co. at 481 High St, Northcote.
(The local private phone line of Greensborough 166 was also given.) It could not have been a worse time to take over a fledgling newspaper.
The Advertiser that Brindley took over in 1939 ooked to be a busy six-page weekly. Advertisers included C.M. Banerham’s Auction Room, Greensborough; Lyon Bros. Motors, Eltham; Smith’s Radio Service, Montmorency; El-tham Hardware Store; C. Rouch Timber, Heidelberg; Neil Smith Water Supply, Epping, The Ideal Store, Hurstbridge; Greensbor-ough Garage; R.L. McQueen Rural Supplies (K.W. Smith, local agent, Lower Plenty); W.G. Apps & Sons Funeral Directors; Macarthur & Macleod Stock Agents; Whittlesea Butchery; H.J. O’Brien, Baker, Greensborough; Elliott’s Post Office Store, Greensborough; Briar Hill Timber and Trading; Diamond Creek Wine Saloon; V.A. Edmonds, Butcher, Greensborough; J. Mc-Clenaghan, Builder, Montmorency; Ray Rogers, Builder, Panton Hill; McNab and McNab Solicitors; plus a back-page full of classified advertising.

“Having taken over control of The Advertiser from Mr. H. A. Davies, I wish to introduce, myself to its readers and advertisers, and also to the residents of the districts in which the paper circulates. I fully realise the tremendous assistance which Mr. Davies received from the residents in supplying news items and advertising and I hope that you will be willing to accord me the same help. Being almost a stranger to the district I am not yet familiar with the activities, but I hope in a short while to have everything at my finger-tips.

“It is my intention to take a keen interest in the matters which in terest and affect the residents, and I will maintain the same service as Mr. Davies supplied to you.
I will be living in the district, at “Kooringarama” Ford St., Eltham, the telephone number being Greensborough 88.”

It is believed that Arthur Brindley was born in 1911, so he would have been 28 at the time of his business purchase. He was son of Sydney Brindley, decorator, and the former Annie Heywood. The paper quickly declined. It appears the final issue was published on August 28, 1942. No explanation can be found why the paper suddenly shut. Perhaps paper rationing introduced in World War II was a factor. Maybe Brindley’s declining health influenced the decision.

Arthur’s 1931 electoral roll listing shows him as a clerk, of 11 Whitehorse Rd, Camberwell. In 1932, Arthur Matthew Brindley is listed an investor in Affiliated Investments Pty Ltde, which had raised £2000 in capital. A director of the firm was Maurice Gabriel Sloman, uncle of Peter Isaacson, who was to enter the suburban newspaper industry after World War II concluded. Other addresses for Brindley included ‘Umtali’, William St, Greensborough (1943); 242 Upper Heidelberg Rd, Ivanhoe (1949); 162 Munro St, Ivanhoe (1949); and 71 Glydon Rd, Camberwell (1954). Within a few short years, Arthur Brindlay was dead. The Argus published notices on May 2, 1956, noting that he was husband of Adele, and father of Dale. He died after a “long and painful illness”. The tribute quoted “Dulcius Ex Asperis”, translating to ‘Sweeter after difficulties’.