With the introduction of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc, the way news is delivered to people has evolved. News is delivered instantly, from all corners of the globe, to your smartphone or laptop.

For me, newspapers are still king. Sure, you can go on Facebook, click on the website and get a lot more information, but there’s nothing quite like sitting back with a cup of coffee and flicking between the pages.

This leads me to announce that Friday is my last day as sports journalist at The Ararat Advertiser. I would like to thank everyone that has contributed to the paper in some way over the past 11 months. Columns such as From the Centre Bounce, The Serve, Anne-Maree Huglin’s weekly netball report, Chalambar golf reports, Art and About and Ararat Live have all crossed my desk at various stages during this time.

These columns add a great deal to the newspaper. It helps the paper remain relevant to the area, particularly when staffing levels are low and when new journalists come to town. They assist these journalists in ways such as getting to know who’s who from various organisations and alerts them to upcoming events.

If there is an event you want the paper to cover, please let journalists know. We try our best to either a) get to the event, b) send the photographer along or c) arrange a story. It is just not possible, with two journalists, to remember and cover everything. However, with your help, we can try our best to keep our news and sports events relevant to the Ararat district.

For myself, it has been a pleasure working with members of the public in bringing you sporting and community news. I have had the privilege of covering events such as Ararat Cup Day, ministers’ visits and the opening of the Ararat Outdoor Olympic Pool. The pool opening was something special - the power of community spirit was on show that day.

Of course, there have been tough times when things haven’t quite gone to plan. We have experienced many changes in the newsroom since July 2015. However with the assistance and the understanding of the public, we have solved issues and I hope the support of The Ararat Advertiser continues. 

I wish the Ararat community all the best in its quest to make this town great. To the Rats and coach David Hosking: There is always next year! Thank you.