For 150 years, The Buloke Times has been a staple in the small town of Donald, Victoria, with a population of just 1,500. Remarkably, this local newspaper has been under the stewardship of a single family throughout its entire history. At the helm for more than half of this period is 95-year-old editor Robin Letts, whose dedication to journalism has become legendary.
“Robin has been here 76 years,” said Quill McQuilty, a journalist with The Buloke Times. “That’s over half of the newspaper’s history that he’s been involved in. That’s just amazing.”
A Family Legacy in Newsprint
The story of The Buloke Times began with its original masthead, The Donald Times, founded in 1875 by Godfrey Morgan. Morgan, who arrived in Australia from England in 1852 with a letter of introduction from Charles Dickens, was an enterprising young man eager to report on the gold rush.
Robin Letts explained, “He [Godfrey Morgan] was Dad’s grandfather, so that would make him my great-grandfather and David’s great-great-grandfather.” Today, Robin’s son, David Letts, serves as the newspaper’s general manager, a role that encompasses a wide array of responsibilities from typesetting to delivering the paper.
David Letts described the versatility required in a small newspaper, “Anyone could be called to grab a camera and go out and take a photo or do a couple of paragraphs or hunt someone down to identify a photograph.”
Decades at the Desk
Family involvement has been the cornerstone of the newspaper’s survival. In 1922, G.W.L. “Goff” Letts, Robin’s father, was appointed editor, a position he held until his death in 1987. “He spent 66 years as the editor, and as a matter of fact, history has it he wrote his final editorial just before he died in hospital in Donald,” Robin Letts recounted.
Working alongside both his father and grandfather was a unique experience for David Letts. “It was a lot of fun to have the three of us here, and then grandpa or Goff, when he passed away, then of course Robin took over the editorship,” he said.
Robin Letts’s career began in 1947, initially focusing on sports reporting before expanding to cover the full spectrum of local news. Former employee Brian Bayles, who spent 59 years at the newspaper, noted, “With a pen in his hand, he was a giant.”
Turning the Page After 150 Years
This week, The Buloke Times celebrated its 150th anniversary with a commemorative edition and a birthday cake for its staff. The Letts family’s continuous ownership now surpasses that of the famous Fairfax family, who owned the Sydney Morning Herald until 1990.
However, this milestone year also marks the end of the Letts family’s proprietorship. David Letts, who has spent his entire career at the paper since 1980, plans to retire. “I don’t think there’s any other family members keen to take it on,” he admitted.
Robin Letts will continue as editor, while discussions are underway regarding the future leadership of The Buloke Times. “His father kept going until the end, and I think Robin will just keep going,” David Letts said, emphasizing the importance of the newspaper in keeping his father mentally active.
Despite his modesty, Robin Letts acknowledges the contributions of his colleagues. “It wouldn’t be without the people I’ve got now,” he said. “And ones that we’ve had through the years. Absolutely wonderful people.”
The legacy of The Buloke Times is a testament to the enduring power of local journalism and family dedication. As the paper turns a new page, its history of resilience and community service remains a guiding light for the future.
