RURAL Press Club of Victoria Rural and Regional Journalism and Photography Awards were held on Friday October 27 at the Geelong Library & Heritage Centre, and showed that Gippsland is abuzz with media talent.
The prestigious event recognises outstanding contributions to regional journalism and photography. The awards night attracted 130 guests, with this year’s awards receiving 360 entries spanning 18 categories, with 65 newsrooms represented across Victoria and Tasmania.
The Rural Press Club of Victoria (RPCV) announced the finalists in 18 categories ahead of the awards. Gippsland-based media outlets who had been shortlisted for nominations or won them included WIN News, ABC Gippsland, and The Warragul and Drouin Gazette.
Gippsland Times & Maffra Spectator journalist Stefan Bradley was nominated for ‘Best News Story Print’.
Andrew Thomson from the Warrnambool Standard won that award for his story The Kirkstall killings. Chris Earl (Loddon Herald) was ‘highly commended’ in that category, while Benjamin Silvester (Warrnambool Standard), Alexander Blain (Geelong Advertiser), and Mr Bradley were ‘commended’.
Mr Bradley’s story in that category was We won: Gavy looks to future (19/07/23 issue), about Sale businessman Gagandeep ‘Gavy’ Singh, who endured a 10-year-saga where red tape almost forced him to leave Australia and go back to India, separating him from his wife Phoebe and their four-year-old son Jarro. Eventually, Mr Singh was given a pathway to a permanent partner visa, allowing him to stay with his family in Sale.
ABC Gippsland journalists Bec Symons, Mim Hook and Rachael Lucas all won awards in different categories.
