Country Press NSW Inc - 2026 Awards of Excellence Results

February 04, 2026 | Our events

Winners in the 2026 Country Press NSW Awards of Excellence, the oldest continuous media awards in Australia, have been announced.

Twenty categories have been contested in this year’s awards, encompassing photography, news, sports, advertising, digital, editorial and overall excellence.

For the fifth year in a row, overall participation in the awards increased, with a total of 238 entries competing for honours in 2026.

The five-member judging panel was comprised of retired publisher Wanda Dunnet OAM (Narrabri); leading photographer Zenio Lapka (Bathurst); editor, journalist and digital news expert John Thistleton (Canberra); publisher and marketing consultant Bob Holland (Orange); and award-winning journalist and editor Andrew Fisher (Cowra).

The 2026 winners were revealed at a gala dinner in Orange on Friday, 23 October. Country Press NSW expresses its thanks to our generous sponsors: Google News, Regional Media Connect, Pongrass, and Advanced Publishing Systems.

The 2026 winners are:

Best Human Interest or Rural Photo:  Ian Johnson, Corowa Free Press

Best News Photo:  Kylie Devine, Gunnedah Times

Best Sports Photo:  Brian Scott, The Bugle

Best Advertising Feature or Campaign:  The Bugle

Best House Advertisement:  Central West & Hilltops Farmer

Best Locally Produced Advertisement:  Michelle Brown, Forbes Advocate

Best Magazine or Special Publication:  Corowa Free Press

Best Digital Presence:  The Riverine Grazier

Best Editorial Coverage:  Deniliquin Pastoral Times

Best News Story:  Christine Little, Parkes Champion Post

Best Opinion:  Zoe McMaugh, Deniliquin Pastoral Times

Best Sports Story:  Renee Powell, Forbes Advocate

Emerging Journalist of the Year:  Pancho Symes, Tweed Coast Times

Journalist of the Year:  Kimberly Grabham, The Riverine Grazier

Best Front Page (Free Newspapers):  The Bugle

Best Front Page, Paid Over 700 Copies:  Corowa Free Press

Best Front Page, Paid Under 700 Copies:  Wee Waa News

Best Free Newspaper:  Tweed Coast Times

Best Paid Newspaper (Over 700 Copies):   Parkes Champion Post

Best Paid Newspaper (Under 700 Copies):   Gundagai Independent