Taree’s local newspaper, the Manning River Times, has a long history dating back to January 1869 when the first issue was published by Charles Boyce and George Buckleton under the banner of the Manning River Times and Advocate.1 In the ownership of the Boyce family for many years, its first home was a modest timber building in Manning Street. It then operated from various locations, before, in August 1899, it was announced that the tender of Mr R G Ochs had been accepted for the construction of a new brick office and printing works on the south eastern corner of Manning and Albert Streets.2
The building was originally lit by acetylene gas3 and management soon installed an oil engine to run the large press, an operation previously carried out by hand.4 The proprietors were always keen to move with the times, taking advantage of electricity circa 1918 and installing an extremely heavy Swiss-Duplex machine in about 1925 which necessitated an extension to the building with a concrete floor and pit.5
In 1961 the Times amalgamated with the Northern Champion and a modern office block was added.6
Although printing of the newspaper moved off-site, the iconic Taree building continued to be occupied by the Times until 2016 when it was sold7 and is now largely unoccupied.
Author: Penny Teerman
References:
1 Boolambaayte to the Manning 1854 – 2004 Taree & Lower Manning: Bookmen Publishers 2004
2 Manning River Times Saturday 26 August 1899 Pg 2
3 Manning River Times Saturday 24 February 1900 Pg 4
4 Manning River Times Centenary Supplement June 1969
5 Ibid.
6 Ibid.
7 Manning River Times 24 October 2016: Iconic Manning River Times Building going to auction
