Thursday, October 13, 2016

CNAV Awards for Ferntree Gully News

I am proud to be involved with my local community paper Ferntree Gully News.

At the Community Newspaper Association of Victoria (CNAV) 2016 Awards the paper received the following awards:


Best Newspaper – Finalist

Ferntree Gully News
This entry stood out for its powerful, front-page close-up photo of a kookaburra – an arresting image by Barbara Oehring which beautifully distils the edition’s focus on appropriate development in Ferntree Gully. Quality photos were a feature generally of this newspaper, combined with readable, informative articles, news and events that residents would seek out, e.g. Scouts, Victoria Day celebrations, CFA fire advice, schools and church news. Articles were highly readable and well edited. Page designs, too, were attractive with judicious use of white space, appealing page straplines and good use of the excellent photographs. This is a community newspaper that clearly cares about its readership. And its readership also cares about the newspaper, being well-supported by local business advertisements and contributors.

Best Photograph – Finalist

Ferntree Gully News
‘Don’t Laugh!  This is Serious!’ – Photographer: Barbara Oehring
Carefully timed to capture the kookaburra’s amused expression, well lit, and with a narrow depth of field to remove distracting detail, this is an eye catching and well executed nature photograph.  In immediately grabbing your attention and directing you to the story – in this case about how council is dealing with a threat to habitat – it does exactly what a good newspaper photograph should do.



© Barbara Oehring


Ferntree Gully News is published by the Mountain District Learning Centre, 13-15 The Avenue, Ferntree Gully 3156 in collaboration with the Lower Gully Traders Inc.

The paper can be accessed online: ferntreegullynews.com