A rival newspaper publisher has stepped in to fill the void left by the closure of the 163-year-old Ararat Advertiser.
The Pyrenees Advocate will release a new weekly paper — the Ararat Advocate — from May 1.
Australian Community Media (ACM) announced the Advertiser's closure as part of nationwide coronavirus cost-saving measures, adding that it hoped to re-open its non-daily papers at the end of June.
Craig Wilson, the publisher of the Pyrenees Advocate, said while it was a tough time for regional newspapers, he felt he had the capacity to print a weekly paper by hiring a small staff in Ararat to complement his existing operation.
"There's not a huge amount of money out in the marketplace at the moment, but because we're doing this on a reasonably limited budget, we feel that we can actually do it quite effectively," he said.
The Pyrenees Advocate covers the Beaufort and Avoca areas.
The Ararat Advertiser was the second-oldest continuously operating newspaper in Victoria.
Since its closure, Ararat residents have turned to 16-year-old podcaster Jack Ward to get their news.
As the only journalist on the ground in Ararat, his podcast — Ararat's Latest — has enjoyed a surge in followers.
Mr Wilson said he was so impressed by Jack's tenacity and passion, he had hired him to work 10 hours a week on the Ararat Advocate.
The new publication was expected to be available until at least the end of June, Mr Wilson said.
"We will reassess it at that particular point in time and see if we can actually make a go of it," he said.
"If indeed two newspapers can exist in the marketplace, that's even better for everyone because it means there's a bit of competition."
