Shortlist for 2025 CPNSW Awards of Excellence announced

September 17, 2025 | Our events

Finalists for next month’s combined Country Press NSW and Victorian Country Press Association awards night have been revealed, with a diverse field of publications named among the final contenders for the Friday, October 24 gala event.

The 2025 combined conference, to be held at the stunning Silverwoods Resort on the shores of Lake Mulwala, is just the second coming together of the VCPA and CPNSW, the previous occasion being in 1992. The event will be co-hosted by CPNSW President Lucie Peart and VCPA Chairman Jared Loughnan.

“We are excited to celebrate the historic milestone of 125 years of Country Press NSW and to join with colleagues, who are equally passionate about our industry,” CPNSW president Lucie Peart said.

The 2025 combined CPNSW/VCPA conference will include:

· Presentations from Deakin University on the world-first Victorian government advertisement commitment.

· A keynote from Australia’s foremost investigative reporter Nick McKenzie.

· An update on AI in the workplace from Google and a working group of publishers.

· An engaging and interactive advertising session with former Colac Herald creative Josh Stevens.

Prominent business identity and now owner of Tasmania’s Boyer Print Mill David Marriner is also due to speak with publishers, together with local legend and successful author Peter Norris, while the editorial panel session will include Age editor Patrick Elligett and La Trobe University academic Andrea Carson.

This year’s Country Press NSW Awards attracted a record 227 entries from publishers for the 19 categories on offer.

CPNSW Awards of Excellence Shortlist 2025

Best Agricultural Photo

Christine Little - Parkes Champion Post

Mark Griggs - Wellington & District Leader

Jess Richards - Coonabarabran Times

Daniel Ryan - Cowra Guardian

Best News Photo

Megan Dunn - Corowa Free Press

Renee Powell - Forbes Advocate

Em Jensen - Broken Hill Times

Christine Little - Parkes Champion Post

Best Sports Photo

Josh Gidney - Tumut and Adelong Times

Renee Powell - Forbes Advocate

Liam Hauser - Gunnedah Times

Best Commercial Feature

The Courier - 2024 Narrabri Chamber of Commerce Business Awards

Coonabarabran Times - Tuck in

Monaro Post - 75 years of the Snowy Scheme

Best Locally Produced Print Advertisement

Canowindra News

Gunnedah Times

The Courier

Best Locally Produced Advertising Campaign

Forbes Advocate - Vandenberg Hotel

Narromine Star - Where Is It?

Cowra Guardian - Tax Time

Best Magazine or Special Publication

Coonabarabran Times - wattle 4.0

Corowa Free Press - Good Times on the Murray and the Mountains

Deniliquin Pastoral Times - Deniliquin Pastoral Times 165th Anniversary Souvenir Edition

Best Editorial Campaign

To be announced at Yarrawonga.

Best News Story

Emma Prior - Corowa Free Press

Josh Gidney - Tumut and Adelong Times

Krista Schade - The Riverine Grazier

Best Digital Presence

To be announced at Yarrawonga.

Best Sports Story

Jared Loughnan - Corowa Free Press

Renee Powell - Forbes Advocate

Lleyton Hughes - The Bugle, Kiama

Best Agricultural Story

Daniel Ryan - Cowra Guardian

Em Jensen - Broken Hill Times

Mark Griggs - Wellington & District Leader

Best Opinion/Editorial

Kait Britton - Coonabarabran Times

Liam Hauser - Gunnedah Times

Christine Little - Parkes Champion Post

Young Journalist of the Year

Lleyton Hughes - The Bugle, Kiama

Sophia McCaughan - Narromine Star

Madeline Blackstock - Parkes Champion Post

Journalist of the Year

Tertia Butcher - The Riverine Grazier

Christine McKee - Corowa Free Press

Krista Schade - The Riverine Grazier

Em Jensen - Broken Hill Times

Overall Newspaper Excellence FREE

Hunter River Times

Byron Coast Times

Dubbo Photo News

Overall Newspaper Excellence PAID Under 700 Circulation

Narromine Star

Gundagai Independent

Tumbarumba Times

Overall Newspaper Excellence PAID Over 700 Circulation

Broken Hill Times

The Courier

Deniliquin Pastoral Times