The Riverine Grazier team chose last week’s Hatfield Happenings event to announce a new digital masthead.

The Back Country Bulletin will be available in September, and will be a fully digital free news app and website.  

The app will be available for both Apple and Android smart phone users.

The Back Country Bulletin will share news and alerts in real time, and will cover the communities within Hay, Balranald, Carrathool and Central Darling shires.

The production of the printed version of The Riverine Grazier will remain unchanged.

“Adding a new masthead to our company is one of the biggest expansions in the 151-year history of The Grazier,” manager Krista Schade said.

“We know how important it is for those in our rural areas to have access to quality news, and to capture and record the stories of the people who make up our communities.

“The BCB app will also allow us to deliver immediate alerts about road closures, bushfires or floods or anything else that our audience needs.

“In Hatfield last week many people spoke about keeping connections between country people, and fighting for our small towns, and that is exactly what we aim to provide with this new news service.”

Editor Tertia Butcher said the news service will ensure more remote communities have their issues heard by a wider community.

“We are looking forward to sharing the stories of the vibrant towns and the characters who make them so special.”

Further announcements will be made in coming weeks, as the development of the app continues.

This article appeared in The Riverine Grazier, 7 August 2024.