The Lachlander Newspaper
TM Shakespeare, who later went on to be the owner of the Grafton Argus and the Canberra Times, founded the Condobolin Lachlander in 1895. It changed hands twice before being purchased in January 1911, by MJ Condon.
Originally it was handset with very old type then in 1914 Mr Condon added the first typecasting machine with new and additional machinery being added over the intervening years.
The Lachlander was originally a weekly newspaper until October 1937 when it changed to being published on Tuesdays and Fridays and has so continued to this date.
In 1952, the newspaper was sold to Canadian couple Frank and Doretta Ryder-Wood, who maintained the tradition of fierce independence in an era when national media companies were absorbing most newspapers of this size. Following the death of her husband in 1976, Doretta Ryder-Wood continued to run The Lachlander as proprietor and editor, almost to the time of her death in June 2002.
The paper was then sold to local businessmen, Peter and Neal Vane-Tempest, who in line with Mrs Ryder-Wood's request, still maintain the newspaper's independence and employ a local editor.
The Lachlander was one of the last newspapers in Australia to continue in its traditional style of 'hot metal' until January 2004, when it changed to computerised typesetting and page makeup. Today, The Lachlander is a modern, independent, country newspaper that will continue with an ongoing commitment to voice community issues and concerns and provide regional businesses with an effective and efficient way to reach their customer base.
The Lachlander is the oldest, established business in Condobolin and is dedicated to providing continued support to community groups, business and organisations.
Condobolin
Condobolin is a country town of some 3500 people in NSW's Central West, located very close to the geographic centre of NSW. It is 100 km west of Parkes and 500 km west of Sydney at the junction of the Lachlan River and Goobang Creek, 189 m above sea-level. Wool, wheat, sheep, cattle, and mixed farming are the economic mainstays of this red-soil plains district.
Prior to white occupation the area was inhabited by the Wiradjuri people. It is from their language that the town's name derives, said to mean 'hop bush', or 'hop brush'.
The first known European in the area were the explorers John Oxley (in 1817) and Thomas Mitchell who camped at the junction of the Lachlan River and Goobang Creek in 1836. The town was gazetted in 1859 but for over 20 years it was essentially a stopover and river-crossing for drovers moving stock from the north and west of New South Wales to Victoria, hence there were few permanent residents in what remained a pastoral area characterised by large holdings.
Subdivision in 1880 led to the slow break-up of the large properties with free selectors moving in from the south. Fruit and wheat cultivation were established and the town began to develop.
The railway arrived in 1898 and Condobolin was the railhead for the central west until the line to Broken Hill was completed in 1927. Agricultural production was further expanded when the Wyangala Dam was established on the Lachlan in 1935.
Condobolin is now a typical retail and service centre for a mixed farming community in the central west of NSW and is the central office for Lachlan Shire Council. The town's amenities include four hotels, two motels and an RSL, Bowling and Golf Club. The main tourist attractions are the Gum Bend Lake complex, Railway Museum and The Lachlander Museum.