Changing of the Rural Guard at the Advertiser (March 2017)

Following a forty year career in writing about the Australian agricultural sector, including 27 years at News Corporation, The Advertiser’s Rural Editor Nigel Austin decided late last year that it was time to leave behind the world of daily newspaper journalism.

His new direction in life is now the pursuit of a long-held dream to focus full-time on continuing his authorship of books focused on country Australia.

In leaving The Advertiser, Nigel said his career in the newspaper industry had been a truly interesting and fulfilling one, providing ample opportunity to meet an array of wonderful people.

Nigel Austin started writing about rural Australia at the Melbourne based Stock and Land publication in 1977 and since that time, there were few parts of the country that he didn’t visit. His travels, many articles and the various books he wrote gave Nigel a rare insight into the lives of the people of rural Australia.

He won numerous national writing awards including the Henry Lawson Award, the Dalgety Farmers Award and various media awards in New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia.

Nigel also considered himself to have been fortunate to be awarded several overseas study scholarships to the United States, Japan and the European Union during his career.

As one of the longest serving rural journalists in Australia, Nigel Austin’s time in the industry provided inspiration to many. In return, he expressed gratitude for the personal support received from Australian farmers and the rural sector in general.

Replacing Nigel Austin as The Advertiser and Sunday Mail’s Rural Editor has been award winning reporter, Belinda Willis. Growing up in the Riverland and with a media career spanning over twenty years, her background was as senior business and environment reporter, including stints with the BBC and Discovery Networks.

Belinda Willis had also been media adviser to a former federal environment minister.

A highlight of her career was a high commendation in the prestigious Walkley Awards’ “best suburban, country or rural report category”.

Former Advertiser Rural Editor, Nigel Austin