Media Archives Project

    
Content Summary
            
-- "Hamilton Spectator": editions of the newspaper going back to 1859. Bound volumes held at the newspaper are generally only available to executive members of the Hamilton History Centre, but microfiche versions of the paper are available to the public at the History Centre, 1859-1945
-- "Hamilton Spectator": Study of the newspaper’s history by historian Rod Kirkpatrick, in digital form; 150th anniversary magazine, 2009
-- "Portland Guardian": microfiche at the Hamilton History Centre, 1842-1862
-- "Portland Observer": complete from c1975; earlier issues incomplete; at the paper’s offices (contact admin@observer.net.au)
-- "Casterton News": post-1980s editions at the paper’s offices (contact cn.editor@spec.com.au), also on microfiche, along with earlier editions, at the Casterton Historical Society (http://www.ballaratgenealogy.org.au/casterton/historicalsociety.htm), 1882-1981 and 1983-2007
    

    
Comments
            
The Spectator-Observer Group in western Victoria publishes the thrice-weekly "Hamilton Spectator" and "Portland Observer" (formerly "Portland Guardian"), the weekly "Casterton News" and several supplements. The Group’s website has selected articles and photographs from the "Hamilton Spectator", the "Portland Observer" and the "Casterton News" going back to 2001.

Fees apply for archival research at the Hamilton History Centre and the Casterton and District Historical Society. 

The State Library of Victoria hold many editions of the "Hamilton Spectator", the "Portland Guardian/Observer" and the "Casterton News", with other state libraries and the National Library holding more limited collections.