Community
20 May, 2026
CHARLTON TRIBUNE 150: Proud to say that in our communities local news still matters
Originally the newspaper was emblazoned with the East Charlton Tribune masthead, later becoming just Charlton and in 1981 joinng wth the St Arnaud Mercury to become North Central News that today is NCN Herald.
TODAY marks a major milestone for local news in the North Central - it was this very day 150 years ago that the first edition of the Charlton Tribune was published.
Originally the newspaper was emblazoned with the East Charlton Tribune masthead, later becoming just Charlton and in 1981 joinng wth the St Arnaud Mercury to become North Central News that today is NCN Herald.
The mastheads may well have evolved over the decades but one thing has remained constant - sharing your local news, celebratng local achievements and advancing local communties.
The newspaper links between Charlton and St Arnaud go back well before the Tribune and the Mercury become one.
By the early decades of the 20th Century, The Tribune was regarded for being a “fine record of work and usefulness in the interests of the town and district, and its reputation throughout the North for energy and enterprise is far reaching”.
The newspaper was founded by the late Mr. H. T. Henningsen, and Mr. Klunder in partnership with Mr. Henningsen who would be with local newspapers for half a century.
Not only was the Tribune seen as a splendid medium of advertising, but on every Saturday a special supplement was given, containing specially selected reading matter.
Mr Klunder sold the printing business to Hogan and Gardner in 1925 and the next year, the East Charlton Tribune changed its name to the Charlton Tribune.
Mr. Herbert Davies, a journalist with the Melbourne evening paper the Star purchased the business from Messrs. Hogan and Gardner after the Star went out of publication, and carried it on until 1943 when Mr. J. S. Richardson, then editor of the St Arnaud Mercury took over the business.
In February 1961 the Tribune was purchased by R. I. and C. E. Cameron of Wedderburn who continued publishing the local newspaper until Charlton and St Arnaud joined.
In thee first copy of the East Charlton Tribune, published on 20 May, 1876, were printed these words:
“East Charlton stands on the eastern bank of the Avoca River in a beautiful valley between two ranges of hills, and is distant twenty miles from Wedderburn and twenty eight miles from St Arnaud. The country around is of a very rich nature and bids fair to become the finest agricultural district in the colony. The whole of the land for many miles around has been selected. The wheat grown in the vicinity of East Charlton during the past season realised the highest price of any in Victoria.”
In Charlton - Through the Years published in 1980, it was written that the editor “was obviously writing with pride of the district with which he was connected.
“Now a century later we write with that same pride of our town, with its successes and failures and of how it has developed in the years between.
“... East Charlton Tribune published its first edition, providing residents not only with local news but with news of important events in Australia and overseas.
“The editor for many years was Mr R. M. Klunder, a man of rare talent who showed a humane awareness of community affairs. His pertinent editorials were often the spear-head for progressive community moves to obtain some much-needed commodity.”
In that same edition he wrote: “When a deep drain is made to carry off the storm water, when our streets are metalled; when our footpaths are formed; when our promised Court of Petty Sessions is an established fact; when the shires on whose boundaries we stand take notice of our little wants, then we can proudly boast that our fast-growing township of East Charlton stands second-to-none in the district. The powers that be could not adopt a wiser or more beneficial policy than to see that all roads to and from East Charlton are made passable in winter…
“... with a prosperous future before us, it is about time we began to better ourselves, and if those who are supposed to watch the interests of the town neglect their duty, the sooner we begin to act for ourselves the better.”
When J. S. Richardson assumed ownership of the Tribune during World War Two, he wrote: “As much prominence as possible will be given to local news and the co-operation of the public is sought in such ways as sending in personal paragraphs, member of the Forces home on leave and the interesting letters they write home. Secretaries can be of great assistance by giving prompt reports of meetings, sports results, etc.”
When the Camerons decided to sell the Tribune and be part of creating a modern newspaper mashead with the St Arnaud Mercury, they wrote: “The management of the Charlton Tribune has, after very serious and thoughtful deliberation, decided that this shall be the last edition of the newspaper as it has been known over the past 104 years, since
It has been decided to combine the Charlton Tribune with the St. Arnaud Mercury, both of which have been published in St. Arnaud for the last four years, to produce a publication to be known as The North Central News.
“The North Central News will, by its nature combine the mutual interests of both towns.”
Throughout the 150 years of newspapers in Charlton, the Tribune or its 21st Century successor NCN Herald and all the mastheads in between, every editor, journalist and owner has remained committed to those original ideals espoused by Mr Klunder - optimism and hope for the communities and a commitment to having local news in the local newspaper.
The newspaper industry has changed from the days of lead blocks and letters being made in forms and sheets of paper hand-fed through the presses.
Technological changes have been as fast-paced as much of the news we have reported.
Today’s digital advancements allows local news to be reported quickly online and then in print. NCN Herald is proud to continue sharing the stories, your stories, from Charlton and St Arnaud and surrounding districts.
We are recording tomorrow’s history today.
So Happy Birthday to the Tribune masthead, part of the NCN Heral lineage and tradition of being your local newspaper.
Read More: Charlton