One of Australia’s oldest newspapers, the Hamilton Spectator has escaped extinction with a takeover by Paul Thomas’ fast-growing Today group, while a new free weekly has launched in Victoria’s east.

Richard Beks, who had owned the Spectator since the 1980s, told readers in November the that south-western Victorian triweekly was for sale, and under threat of closure because the publisher’s business model was “no longer fit for purpose”.

After a brief hiatus, the paper reappeared as a weekly on January 31, with a $4 cover price and a front-page note announcing SA Today – a subsidiary of the Thomas family’s Star News Group – had become the “new custodians” of the ‘Spec’ and sister paper the Portland Observer.

The change has brought a move from its historic offices in Hamilton’s Gray Street, albeit just across the road to number 84. The move accompanies a change of production arrangements, from the progressively-extended Goss Community to arrangements within SA Today. Today owns the former Morning Bulletin press (but not the News-owned digital masthead) in Rockhampton, Queensland.

Nor has the changeover been without some online criticism – of the masthead colour, the size of type for sports, and lack of some local content.

The Australian paper’s history dates to 1859 when Thomas Shevill launched the Hamilton Courier, but would-be rival George Robinson bought it and launched the Spectator the following year. Wikipedia records how Robinson took a partner, William Vale, and headed to Europe, “leaving money in Robinson’s trust”, only to see Vale make “unexpected” use of it. When the matter ended in court, the paper’s copyright was auctioned outside the Spectator office, and ownership returned to Robinson.

Publication increased to triweekly in 1876, and ownership passed through various owners including former Albury Border Post proprietor George Mott, and George Rippon. The Spectator went daily in 1908, driving out a competitor, but reverted to triweekly in 1917 because of World War I paper shortages.

Technological advances included full colour (and in-house colour separation) in 1995, electronic pagination in 1998, the launch of its website in 1999, and installation of its two Community four-high colour towers in 2006.

Beware, incidentally, of Google’s “experimental” AI overview, which notes Beks’ ownership of the Australian paper, but carries on with the history of its Canadian namesake, bought by William Southam in 1877, and onsold variously to Conrad Black and Torstar.

• Another Victorian newcomer is fortnightly free and LINA member East Regional View, based around Traralgon. The paper published its first edition last month with a front page story about the AGL Loy Yang Traralgon International tennis competition. A Facebook page promises many regular features covering a broad range of interests.

Sales and marketing director is Jason Cherry, who worked for Telstra for 15 years in two stints – while Matthew Kruljac, formerly of the Great Eastern Mail, is named as media and design director.

Pictured: The new-format Spectator goes on sale at Beattie’s Newsagency; and (below) a group photo outside the old office accompanied a “farewell” note on December 31 (both from the Spectator’s Facebook page, with thanks)