Providing comprehensive coverage of the Peninsula

When the first issue of Peninsula News was published in April 1999, it was the first newspaper exclusively covering the Peninsula for more than 25 years.

At the time, it was clear as we stated in our first edition, that "momentous things are happening on the Peninsula, all of which will have significant effects on our lives".

Some had already received publicity: The planned redevelopment of the Ettalong Beach War Memorial Club, the fast ferry proposal and the new cinema at Ettalong, and plans by Gosford Council to spend $8 million on a new community centre and theatre, a new youth club, redevelopment of the pool and streetscaping..

However, we felt that without our own newspaper, the Peninsula would not be fully informed. There was certainly enough to report.

We started out with plans to be a 12-page monthly paper. By the start of 2001, the newspaper had grown to the point where we could justify publishing fortnightly. By 2004, Peninsula News was published regularly with full colour pictures.

Over the years, we reported on many developments on the Peninsula.

They included major retail building projects such as The Pavilion and the extension of Deepwater Plaza at Woy Woy, the Ettalong Hotel redevelopment, the Patonga Tavern and the recent Woolworths supermarket at Umina.

They have included projects at public facilities such as the dental clinic at Woy Woy hospital, new classrooms and facilities at Brisbane Water Secondary College, the railway station upgrade and the replacement of Housing Department houses with duplex villas.

There have been projects that have faced obstacles that have meant they have not proceeded or that they have dragged on over a number of years. The Fast Ferry, the Ettalong Foreshore plan, the redevelopment of the Ettalong Beach War Memorial Club, and a proposed retirement village at Veron Rd, Woy Woy, are among them.

Gosford Council was not immune, as projects such as the redevelopment of the Woy Woy pool grew from a project of less than $2 million to one that was ultimately more than $20 million.

Peninsula News has followed changes to the character of the area, the appearance of speed cameras and of traffic lights.

It has covered infrastructure issues: the collapse of the road at Bulls Hill; designs to address drainage through absorption pits as well as conventional means; of water quality and supply ith mains cleaning and groundwater extraction; as well as waste disposal as the limited life of the tip became evident.

Our policy has always been to keep our focus on activities occurring on the Peninsula, providing unrivalled comprehensive coverage.

Even during the newspaper war of 2002 and 2003 when the regional newspapers were published daily and even metropolitan papers had daily Central Coast inserts, Peninsula News was able to publish more news items about the Peninsula than all the other media combined.

When we started in 1999, we said: "The Peninsula News aims to inform the community of these vital developments, to provide a forum for discussion and to engender pride and involvement in our community."

We have fulfilled these aims for more than 11 years and are committed to continue to do so.

8 Oct 2010 Mark Snell, Editor