The Deniliquin Pastoral Times has cemented its reputation as one of regional NSW's leading newspapers, claiming two state titles and two highly commended accolades at the 2026 Country Press NSW Awards of Excellence in Orange.

The newspaper was recognised in every category in which it was named a finalist, taking out the coveted Best Editorial Coverage and Best Opinion awards, while also earning highly commended honours for Best Locally Produced Advertisement and Best Digital Presence.

The standout result was the Pastoral Times' victory in the Best Editorial Coverage category for its extensive reporting of the Deniliquin High School arson attack and its aftermath.

Judges praised the newspaper's commitment to keeping the community informed following the devastating November 2025 fire, which destroyed a significant section of the school.

“The winner's comprehensive 26-page treatment, over sequential editions, of the fire which destroyed a large part of the town's high school was impressive," the judges said.

“The stories of the community impact, and recovery and restoration of classes, presented information that the community was urgently seeking - and provided a voice to articulate the depth of feeling in the community."

The award reflects months of coverage that began with live online reporting as firefighters battled the deliberately lit blaze and continued through the school's recovery, rebuilding plans and long-term impact on students and staff.

The winning coverage was produced by the Pastoral Times editorial team content manager and senior journalist Zoe McMaugh, alongside cadet journalists Rowan Frazer and Eamon Kurta.

The newspaper's second first-place award came in the Best Opinion category, after submitting entries on the Federal Farrer by-election and the Federal Government's water policy.

Judges described the winning entry as “highly relevant and thought-provoking with a strong local theme. Well presented.”

In the Best Locally Produced Advertisement category, the PT submitted an Edward River Council advertisement featured in our Year in Review publication.

General manager Nigel Lutton and creative manager Rebecca Flisher worked collaboratively to conceptualise and design the ad which the judges said was “easy to read and very inviting, even to people not overly interested in council matters”.

The newspaper's expanding online footprint was also recognised with a highly commended award in the Best Digital Presence category.

Judges described the digital offering as “impressive, easy to read, and well presented with relevant and entertaining information for readers and advertisers”, noting its strong presence across multiple platforms.

Mr Lutton said the results were a significant achievement for the team and a reminder of the important role local journalism continues to play in country communities.

“The fact that we were nominated as a finalist in four categories was in itself an achievement to be proud of, but to walk away with two first place wins for our editorial performance and two highly commended second places for our local advertising creation and digital presence was a real achievement and credit to our local team," he said.

“The importance of rural journalism and the role that media outlets play in country towns such as ours sometimes gets minimised or overlooked.

“Rural journalism gives a voice to our community, strengthens local accountability, helps to reflect community values and provides a local identity.

“The awards night was considerably more than just an opportunity to hand out trophies. It brought together representatives of rural newspaper mastheads from across NSW and shone a spot-light on the many ways that they champion and contribute to the communities that they serve.

“In many ways it was an evening of celebrating the people and organisations that tell our local stories - the people that work so hard, day in and out, to keep our communities informed, connected and proud of who we are and where we are from.”

The Deniliquin Pastoral Times in much more than just a newspaper.

We now publish news and content daily online via our website, mobile app and social channels which we make accessible to both read as well as listen to.

“We work with local businesses to create mixed-media communication campaigns to help them tell their stories, showcase their products and articulate their value,” Mr Lutton said.

“We are the trusted source of information, and if you are not already a subscriber to our digital content or printed newspaper, I would encourage you to take advantage of our special introduction offer of $1 per week and enjoy our 'award winning' content.”

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Thursday, 22nd October 2026

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