The test cricket is finished for another season, the decorations have been packed away and people are slowing getting back to work, giving thoughts to the year ahead.

It won’t be long before kids are getting ready for the school year, there is the final summer fling of Australia Day and then it will be February and all novelty about the idea of “2017” will be lost.

Speaking of novelty these are exciting times at the North West Star, where we have a new journalist in our midst.

Esther MacIntyre started with us on Tuesday, January 5 and will bring fresh ideas and new thinking to our operation.

I have deliberately refrained so far from introducing Esther to our readers in the form of an article about her.

The reason for that is that she had a long-standing commitment to travel overseas beginning this week and will be back on deck in earnest at the end of the month.

That will be the time for her to say hello to our readers and give out her contact details.

In the meantime, say hello to her if you see her out and about, and make her feel welcome to Mount Isa.

Esther already has a strong connection both to Isa and the newspaper. 

Her mum and dad both live and work here, and she came over from New Zealand to join them last year.

Indeed, Esther is a second-generation journalist at the paper – her mum Elizabeth MacIntyre aldso worked here – which may be a first, as far as I know.

Esther replaces Samantha Walton who has made a very strong impression in her 12 months at the paper, getting involved in the local community in the rugby, CWA and other organisations.

Sammy was a very popular member of staff here at the North West Star and we are pleased she is not moving far.

Just down the road to Cloncurry, to be precise. 

There Samantha will report for our sister publication the North Queensland Register.

Because the readership of the Star and Reggie overlap to some degree, you will likely still see Sammy’s byline in our paper and you will also likely see her around the traps. DB