Of
Barrier Truth
From December 2021 to June 2022, I worked as a journalist for the Barrier Truth, covering Far West NSW communities including Broken Hill, Menindee, Wilcannia, and surrounding pastoral districts. Across 48 articles, I documented the region's environmental crises, Indigenous affairs, local politics, arts scene, and the daily challenges facing Australia's most remote inland communities.
My reporting captured critical moments—the Anabranch flowing for the first time in years, Menindee fish facing hypoxic blackwater events, the last horse leaving town during water shortages, and local election battles over water policy. I covered everything from cotton growers penalized for illegal water theft to pre-school openings in Pooncarie, building trust with sources across pastoral properties, Indigenous communities, and mining towns.
The Barrier Truth provided front-line experience in regional print journalism, where weekly deadlines demanded both depth and speed, and where stories required understanding complex water policy, Indigenous cultural protocols, and the interconnected challenges of remote communities facing environmental and demographic pressures.
Working in the field—not remotely—meant developing relationships, understanding local context, and covering stories that metropolitan media rarely reach.