Susanna Freymark
Hello 2025.
Before we leave 2024, let’s look back at the news.
In a year when Donald Trump was almost assassinated (twice), when Taylor Swift broke tour records and war continued in Ukraine and raged in Gaza, IndyNR.com had its focus on our region’s backyard.
We are here to cover Evans Head to Woodenbong, Casino to Drake, reporting on Richmond Valley and Kyogle LGAs including fringes of Tenterfield (Urbenville), Clarence Valley (Ewingar) and Lismore (McKees Hill).
Every year, I’m asked why IndyNR.com doesn’t cover Lismore, Tenterfield and further afield.
It is partly because this patch was inherited from my days at the Richmond River Express Examiner and the Richmond River Independent – but mostly it is because I believe the strength of IndyNR.com is how local it is.
I want readers to know the names, places and even the faces of the people they read about. Plenty of major news sites cover national news and breaking news – we’re here for local stories.
When there is a disaster or crime story in our region, many news outlets cover it, including us.
For events such as council elections, it is a local news site that goes in to the details. IndyNR.com went to most of the council forums to inform people about the debate before they voted and we published 40 stories about the elections.
It is important there is a local news site covering elections, events (and not just the big ones), and stories about you.
Covering council matters can be controversial. This year, I wrote the final NRLX story when Outcross Agri Services took over the running of the Casino saleyards after a seven-month standoff between Richmond Valley Council and agents.
Meetings at Kyogle Council were fraught with many hidden agendas and disputes for much of the year.
With these contentious issues, I tried to be fair and cover things as I saw them and what I had evidence of – it’s not easy, and I cop a lot of flak from people who disagree with the way I presented some stories.
That is part of the job. Generally, readers will have opinions on the story – that is the nature of news.
Most of the time, I feel privileged to tell these stories that might otherwise not be told. I was honoured to be allowed to write about the new album by Watling & Bates at Unumgar written during a difficult time. Or share the story of the couple running Whiporie Store. Helping to publicise the Broadwater parents’ fight for their school to be rebuilt was rewarding.
And taste testing the new craft beers at the Rod n Reel in Woodburn was a pretty good job – it’s not often a day’s work includes downing a beer.
I cried reporting on the court case about Ned Gronow’s murder. The judge’s summation of the case was harrowing – made more so by the presence of Ned’s family who had to endure the details of their son’s death.
I sat in the carpark behind the Lismore Courthouse to write and publish the story.
The death of Sarah Miles in Casino was a difficult story to report on and for the community to hear.
So too was the fire that burned the Chinese restaurant in Walker Street. Watching firefighters hose down the building and seeing the owners watch their business go up in smoke was heartrending. To see someone’s life changed in an instant.
A lot of my time is spent at events – Casino had its first Mulletfest during Beef Week, there was the Windara Pop Culture Festival, the gi-normous truck show and of course the Giant Pumpkin and Watermelon Festival in January.
Each week I’m invited to events such as the opening of the walking trail at Evans River K-12 Community School. That was fun.
2024 was an Olympic year and Kyogle Public School had its own Olympic celebration featuring boxer Athol McQueen.
The Iron Gates saga continued, Costa was at the writers festival, Casino Courthouse reopened, Woodburn got its servo back and a new medical centre opened, $7million was finally allocated to fix the Bungawalbin levee, we had fire ants at Wardell, the Rileys Hill housing development was not approved, the rail trail opened from Casino to Lismore and Naughtons Gap Road reopened after a three year closure.
There are still many flood recovery stories being told. The flood stories are in one place on IndyNR.com right here.
We featured obituaries, funeral notices and tried a Classifieds page (there hasn’t been much uptake for this so we’re not sure about continuing).
We finally organised a donation button for the news site. We are committed to keeping local news free with no paywalls —donations, advertising and grants enable us do this.
This year, our viewing numbers have soared. People want local news – they want to read about their community.
In 2024, IndyNR.com had more than a million views – something I’m proud of.
We use Exactmetrics and Google Analytics to measure the number of readers.
People read about the new servo at Tabulam, the raft race down the Clarence River, art exhibitions at Cassino Gallery, quilters at the Roxy Gallery, the new kebab shop, the erection of a statue for the fishing industry in Evans Head, the solar farm proposal at Ellangowan, surfer Callum Robson’s success, Premier Chris Minns visiting Casino High School and the Read the Street at Kyogle.
Generally, 2–4 stories are published every day to keep you informed.
I do have help bringing you content. I mention the contributors every year and every year they keep doing what they do best.
Bullgoose writes a humour column that always challenges me in finding ways to illustrate his unusual and funny columns. Read all the Bullgoose columns here.
Quizmaster John James Maloney writes a weekly quiz with 10 questions. Every Saturday the quiz is published (see them all here) and when John James went on holiday for two weeks, he asked if someone out there could do the quiz while he was away. Kyogle’s Odette Nettleton put her hand up.
I love how the community contributes – if there is a mistake, someone messages me and I’m able to fix it. Many readers provide leads or tell me when there are police sirens and something has happened. I truly appreciate this input as I can’t be everywhere all at once.
Debbie Reid continues to share her delicious recipes and she takes such creative photos to go with the dishes. Read all the recipes in one place here.
Journalism student Chloe Stubbings published her first story about goats on IndyNR.com
Sports photographer Daniel Cohen has let us use his koala and rodeo pics and they are stunning – check them out here.
My summation of 2024 – a challenging year personally, an exciting year news-wise and a fantastic year business-wise with the growth of the audience and advertisers.
And many of you have said how much you appreciate a local news site. When I published a congratulatory letter from State MP Richie Williamson on The Indy Facebook page, there were many lovely comments from readers. Thank you.
In my wrap for the year on my favourite pics, I said I was lucky to have a job where I get to take photos. I am. It’s an intense job being a reporter, but one I still love after 20 years.
Every day is different, every story is different and when I turn up at some of the smaller villages, people are thrilled to be represented.
If no one has said this lately – your stories matter, no matter how big or small. You matter – and I am honoured to tell your stories.
You can support the Indy by telling friends, showing people how to access the website and supporting advertisers on the site. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
Take out an ad and benefit from the numbers of people seeing it and support us at the same time. It’s a win-win. Details are here.
Whatever your dreams are for this year, take action on them even if it’s one small step at a time.
I’m looking forward to this year. I’m writing my vision and goals, cleaning my desk, and getting new pens and notebooks to prepare myself for a new year of news.
I’ll see you out there in the field – wherever that may be.
Thank you to the people who sent photos of me at work. I find them hilarious. And I had to share them with you.