The other day I dusted off the article I wrote for this Weekender column on Saturday, January 9, 2016 to introduce myself to readers of the paper.
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I wondered how I would think about it a year later.
To my annoyance the first thing I noticed was that I put an errant extra “L” in my spelling of a local town and Cloncurry somehow became “Clonclurry”, something I’m sure people in the Curry noticed and marked me down immediately for.
A year on I apologise for that mistake and have somewhat tardily fixed it in our online version.
Cloncurry has become one of my favourite places and I enjoy any excuse to visit via that beautiful drive through the Selwyn Ranges down the Barkly Highway (surely one of Queensland’s hidden tourism gems).
I hoped to bring a sense of optimism in my introduction and tourism was one of the ways I saw the north-west filling its strategic potential.
A year on, I’m pleased local councils are taking that message seriously.
I’d like nothing better than to see those planes from Brisbane come in full during the tourist season with people eager to spend a week or a long weekend soaking up the region’s beauty, and believe a carefully crafted marketing campaign – allied to a more tempting flight pricing structure could achieve that.
And while I’m talking about flights, a daily link between Brisbane, Isa and Darwin wouldn’t hurt either. I know it has been tried and failed in the past, but with the coming gas pipeline (something else that gave me optimism 12 months ago) it makes even more sense to cement those strategic links, with Mount Isa halfway between the two capitals.
Isa has been my home for the past 12 months and whenever people in Brisbane ask me what I think of it, I have a small list of things I don’t like and an ever increasing list of things I love.
I’ve already hinted at one thing in the former category – expensive flights – and other gripes include the combination of the scorching heat and humidity of summer (hooray for aircon), a tendency for the knockers to dominate on social media, and the occasionally lonely feeling of vast distance from close friends and family (which would be solved by the first issue).
But that’s about it in the negative column. The positives are many: no traffic jams to work, ease of access to most facilities, gobsmackingly beautiful and remote scenery almost on my doorstep, a lovely climate eight months of the year, great festivals and friendly people.
I love the variety of our region: croc stories from the Gulf, the challenges of agriculture in tough conditions, learning about metalliferous mining, endless outdoor activities, and the trials and tribulations of a big town (Mount Isa) far from the certainties of the coast.
The North West Star has not been without its challenges and is still going through tough times.
We lost another journalist in 2016 but do our best with a small and dedicated team.
As long as I’m here (and I have no plans to leave) it will always be a forthright and honest voice of the North West of our great state.
I want our readers to get more involved. Tell us what we are doing right and what we are doing wrong. What do you want to see more of?
I acknowledge covering sport has been difficult and we need the help of contributors to send in stories and photos of great local sporting achievement. I promise we will not overlook any contribution.
As I said 12 months ago and re-iterate with passion today, “This is your paper and I am your editor.”
Contact me on derek.barry@fairfaxmedia.com.au
Derek Barry
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
