With the publication of its 500th edition on August 21, Coast Community News marks an important milestone in local journalism.
The milestone is also a time to acknowledge those who helped shape CCN’s journey.
Founding Editor Cec Becello and his family established a community-focused publication, while former owner Ross Barry successfully restructured, refinanced and grew the organisation Central Coast Newspapers, ensuring its continued presence and influence.
The publication was first published in January 2011 under the name Gosford Central Community News as part of three sub-regional newspapers, The Peninsula News and The Wyong Chronicle.
The masthead changed to its current title in January 2012.
It became the voice of the Central Coast region after the two councils merged in 2016.
In 2018 local businessman Ross Barry purchased the masthead with a vision to represent the up-and-coming Central Coast region.
He promoted the masthead’s importance after closing down the Wyong Chronicle and Pelican Post due to pandemic era financial shocks in 2022.
David Abrahams, who had worked for the organisation for over a decade, took over the reins in a management buyout in 2023.
Since taking on the role of Managing Editor just over two years ago, Abrahams has steered the organisation back into profitability and broadened its reach across the region.
Under his leadership, CCN has expanded its news delivery to include regional radio news while strengthening its digital presence with a national audience at its website coastcommunitynews.com.au
The news service, which publishes daily online and on radio, maintains an archive of more than 25,000 local stories.
Each month, these stories appear in over two million search results across the country, reflecting the enduring demand for independent, trusted local journalism.
And despite repeated claims that print media is dying, CCN proudly sustains one of the largest regional print readerships in Australia.
Our tens of thousands of weekly copies are picked up and read across the Central Coast, proving that a well-made, community-centred newspaper continues to thrive alongside digital platforms.
Reaching 500 editions has been made possible not only through the support of readers, advertisers, and contributors but also thanks to the enduring dedication of our experienced journalists, our freelancers, correspondents, and community contributors, all of whom ensure that Coast Community News reflects the voices and stories of the Coast.
Numerous experienced journalists have guided and guarded the publication’s local independent editorial approach over the years, including long-term journalist and editor Jackie Pearson.
The masthead has trained and employed half a dozen up-and-coming journalists, all of whom have gone on to successful careers around the country.
CCN’s Print editor Terry Collins has been with Coast Community News for six years, following a career spanning almost 40 years as a journalist and editor with News Limited and a brief 18-month “retirement”, during which time she realised she wasn’t really ready to retire at all.
Beginning her career on the now defunct Gosford Star newspaper in 1976, reporting on weddings and social activities (yes, regional newspapers used to cover such things back then), she has since covered everything from hard-hitting news stories to Council and police news and entertainment.
A Central Coast resident for that entire time, she has her finger on the pulse of everything happening in the region.
Sue Murray formerly worked for various mastheads of Cumberland Newspapers (now a part of News Limited) and was editor of two, as well as working for Messenger Newspapers in Adelaide, Community Newspapers in Perth, and the Broome Advertiser and Kimberley Times when she was travelling for six years in a caravan around Australia.
She joined the CCN team in February, 2019, working originally on the former Wyong Regional Chronicle and Peninsula News, later switching to CCN.
Denice Barnes has more than 35 years’ experience as a print journalist, serving as both an editor and senior reporter.
Barnes has specialised in several fields including health, council reporting, feature writing and politics.
Merilyn Vale has a huge pedigree in regional newspapers, having been a journalist, editor and Chief of Staff for Cumberland Newspapers (now part of News Limited), Editor in Chief for Quest Newspapers in Brisbane and a journalist and trainer for Fairfax Newspapers.
These days she is a dedicated Council watcher, running her own website and Facebook page as well as writing probing and comprehensive Council stories for Coast Community News.
Regular contributors to CCN are Skaie Hull, Ivona Rose, Julie Chessman and Cheralyn Darcey.
Brad Yee puts the paper together, placing the editorial content and selling much of the advertising as well as designing some of it.
He has been a graphic designer for more than 10 years.
Before moving to the Coast, he lived on a 650-acre sheep and cattle farm running an 1830s cottage as a bed and breakfast while freelancing in graphic design.
He moved with his young family to the Coast in January 2022, and came on board with CCN as a graphic designer in April of that year.
Six months later, he also took over advertising sales.
CCN is supported by Sophie Walshe in accounts and a sterling team of delivery staff capably spearheaded by Anthony Wagstaffe.
Looking ahead, CCN remains committed to serving the Central Coast with the same independence, energy and dedication that has carried it through the first 500 editions.
Thank you for continuing to bring the Central Coast unbiased, apolitical and independent news.
Thank you for reading Evan, and thank you for the praise 🙂
Have read and enjoyed the newspaper online and paper editions for years. Now only online as unfortunately you have stopped leaving them outside Coles Lake Haven on a Thursday.
Unfortunately, the shopping centre management have choosen to not have them in the centre anymore.
Thank you, everybody involved with this publication! All Aussies should be so lucky as to have a local newspaper of this quality
Thank you Theo – small thank yous make us smile 🙂
Congratulations to all involved in the publication over the years. Our community is lucky to have such high quality independent journalism. The print paper is always a hit, if I go to grab it on a Friday it is often sold out and that’s a testament to the fact the paper covers a broad range of local issues from sport to business and the arts.
Thank you Councillor – and a with 10s of thousands of articles to search its a great tool for local research issues 🙂
I also would like to compliment the team at Coast Community News
Our local community got use to having a FREE newspaper with the Gosford Star, when that paper stopped publication it seemed unlikely that we would have a replacement, as technology was changing rapidly and print costs increasing.
However, against the odds this newspaper has survived and survived very well thanks to the great team that runs it.
Who could forget the coverage of the Council Amalgamation by Jacki Pearson – it was un inhibited and now we have the relentless pursuit of Council news by Merilyn Vale. These are extremely talented journalists and I hope there are younger journos following in their footsteps. Well done to all staff and management past and present, we are indebted to you and grateful for your efforts.