The Gulf Chronicle was expected to release its first edition on Thursday March 26, but editor Matt Nicholls made the decision to suspend the newspaper until further notice, saying "it wasn't an easy decision, but it was the right decision."

"It is with great sadness that I report the suspension of the Gulf Chronicle," Mr Nicholls said.

"As more and more services shut down and travel is reduced to essential trips only, it just wasn't possible to put out a newspaper across the Gulf.

"There was consideration to making it an online publication, but without the ability to travel between the Gulf communities to source news and great stories, it wouldn't have been worth reading."

Mr Nicholls said he was supporting local business by this decision.

"It wouldn't have been right to ask businesses for money if they are going to be shut or facing a major downturn in revenue," he said.

"Rest assured, I'm committed to making the Gulf Chronicle a reality when things return to normality.

"I personally want to thank all of you for your cooperation and encouragement. In the time I spent discussing the paper with members of the community, I barely hit a roadblock."

There is currently no estimated date of publication.

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