On Saturday, November 6 2021 the annual CNAV Awards were livestreamed to our membership – allowing the association to celebrate the achievements of its member publications in a COVID Safe way. Winners, Finalists and Special Mentions are listed below with judges video comments and links (where possible) to the mentioned edition.
A replay of the other sessions from the conferene are on the 2021 Conference page.
Award categories
Best Newspaper
Best Layout and Design
Best Community Content
Best Photograph
Best History Story
Best Feature Story
Best writing by a person aged 18 or younger
Best Editorial Comment
Best Sports Reporting
Best layout and design
Winner:
North and West Melbourne News
A well-developed contemporary layout that was structured clearly and used typography effectively. The images were also used effectively throughout the paper and there was good differentiation between the editorial pieces and the advertising, which added clarity. Overall, it had a modern and welcoming feel.
Finalist 1
Warrandyte Diary
A professionally presented paper that managed a lot of content well. The layout was consistent and clear throughout the paper, and the images and graphic elements were used effectively. Overall, it had an informative and professional feel.
Finalist 2
Gisborne Gazette
A neat and consistent paper layout. Colour was used effectively to emphasise information, and overall, it had a friendly, community feel.
Best Feature Story
Highly Commended
The Glenlyon District News
Studfield Wantirna Community News
Churchill & District News
The Otway Light
Waranga News
Best Sports Reporting
Winner
Tallangatta Herald
‘Two teams, gracious in victory and defeat’
This piece about the Kiewa and Tallangatta Cricket Club’s grand final epitomized everything sport has faced over the last two years. It was such an inspiring and positive article. It was a great celebration of community sport and the importance of just having the chance to get out on the pitch and give it your best, no matter the result. The article celebrated the value of sportsmanship, equality, diversity and teaching our young people to encourage and support the success of others.
I loved the efforts the photographer went to in photographing the two young cricket sides together, rather than focusing on the premier and celebrating sport itself. It was a great read, great layout and something special these young people can look back on with pride. So important after such a challenging period in their young lives.
First Finalist
Gisborne Gazette
‘Super skiers on the rise’
This layout was superb. The images are fantastic and coupled with the layout and headline the piece was the standout as far as design. It was also a fantastic story. I loved how the writer took us back to the beginning and detailed how local brothers Corey and Jacob Saddington had started out in the sport and their rise through the ranks with the support of their dedicated Dad. A terrific read.
Second Finalist
Buninyong & District Community News
‘Meg (and Mum) coach hot team’
This piece had a great overall layout and design. It featured snappy text and subheads and bold sections which jumped off the page and really grabbed the attention of the reader. I also loved the netball action shot with the wrap around text. You immediately identified the story as a netball yarn.
Best writing by person ages 18 or younger
Winner
Stratford Town Crier
It’s a Girls Life – Ella Rose Spence
With its catchy title I was immediately drawn to find out what this story might be about. Interestingly, it was not what I had expected it to be about, but I found I was much more intrigued by the writer’s topic and their ability to incorporate many themes into such a short piece. Touching on Australia’s historical references to gun control and making comparisons to the American culture this article held Australia up as an example that America could look to. More importantly the writer was able to convey the incredibly important message about young males being at most at risk in suicides and strongly argues the point that having access to guns when their mental health causes them to have suicidal ideations is a dangerous scenario. Some great information and statistics were cleverly weaved into the article and clearly supported the writer’s message.
Finalist 1
Running Free by Amy Piltz
Buninyong District Community News
The idea behind this short fiction piece was away from the norm. Told from the viewpoint of the horse, the ability to draw the reader in with its rich vocabulary and use of visualization strategies, compels the reader to keep reading. This pieces cleverly introduces the conflict and invokes emotion as the audience begins to hope for a safe outcome for the herd. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this piece and was impressed with the analogy of our Winters eventually becoming Springs. A very creative and clever short narrative.
Finalist 2
Warrandyte Diary
Thinking Positive about Climate Change
Written by a Year 7 student, this article has all the hallmarks of a good persuasive article that reaches its audience through the delivery of hard cold facts about climate change. It provides the very important perspective of our future adults, who are rightfully concerned and anxious about their future if climate change is not adequately addressed. Turning the article towards a positive outcome, the writer cleverly calls its readers to arms and reminds us that it’s the little things we do that also help to make a difference. A very mature and thought-provoking piece.
Best Editorial Comment
Winner
Ferntree Gully News
Finalists
Brown Hill Community Newsletter
Gisborne Gazette.
Warrandyte Diary
Honourable Mention
Tallangatta Herald
Best History Story
Winner
Village Bell
In remembrance of Fred and Annie Sheard
by Marianne Rocke
This is an interesting story about a local mystery – the murder of Beaconsfield couple, Fred and Annie Sheard, one hundred years ago in June 1921. The couple in their early 70s lived modestly on their small farm but on the morning of June 13, 1921 a neighbour who had come to buy milk from them could not rouse them, the police were called and the bodies of the couple were found, violently murdered and the house ransacked, robbery being the likely motive. A man was arrested, an Inquest was held that named the murderer and others, but the case was later abandoned by police and no-one has punished for the crime. A sad and tragic end to a friendly old couple.
Well written, well researched about a traumatic part of the history of Beaconsfield.
Finalist 1
Brownhill Community Newsletter –
The Littlehales’ Brown Hill Family History
This story looks at a part of the history of Brown Hill, a suburb of Ballarat – it covers local history, family history and social history. The story are the memories of Roy and Marlene Littlehales, whose family operated a local bus service, and later a local garage and service station – there is nothing ‘grand’ about the story it is just a simple story that captures memories – important memories of the area and the role one family played in its history, the sort of memories we should all be recording while we can.
Finalist 2
Two special mentions. I feel community newspapers have an important role in the recording of local history and these two stories really put the ‘local’ into local history’
Emerald Messenger
Long and Winding Road
by Bill Pell
Delightful story of wandering down the Main Street in Emerald and the author’s memories of the some of the buildings and the people who lived or worked there.
Waranga News
St Paul’s celebrates 150 years
A look at various aspects of the history of St Paul’s Anglican Church at Rushworth – good photos, interesting stories and a real celebration of a building which has played a large role in the life of the community for 150 years.
Best Photograph
Winner
Lorne Independent
Finalists
The Otway Light
Buninyong & District Community News
Honourable Mention
Waranga News
Best Community Content
Winner
Waranga News
Waranga News has been published for almost 43 years and covers communities in the Waranga Basin agricultural area in northern Victoria including Rushworth, Colbinabbin, Stanhope and Rochester. The Waranga News celebrates all aspects of community life including the refurbishment of the community owned Colbinabbin Store, the Rushworth Easter Festival, the activities of the Community House, the annual Christmas lights in Stanhope and particularly celebrates the graduates of local secondary and primary schools in what has been a challenging year. With articles focusing on good health and lots of colourful photos, the edition was a joy to read and presented a community focused on supporting one another and a positive future. I believe the Waranga News merits its award.
Finalist 1
North and West Melbourne News
In a very different community, the North and West Melbourne News also focused on bringing this diverse community together with articles aimed at lifting community spirits. This edition of the paper celebrated a local woman who had made over 700 masks with the support of the North Melbourne Good Karma Network Facebook group, and enlisted the help of other sewers, ending up with a team of people making masks for medical staff at the Royal Melbourne Hospital.
The North and West Melbourne News also celebrated local schools with students working from home. Their article about engaging with students via Zoom and with a ‘normal’ timetable was fantastic. The focus of teachers on activities such as cooking from home (eg banana smoothies), mindfulness exercises and Crazy Hair Days, were great examples of ensuring this inner city community continued to connect with its residents.
Editorials focusing on the positives of lockdown such as spending more time with family playing games, cuddles with family pets and walks in the nearby park were examples of an inner city community making the most of their situation.
In the 2020 Spring edition, a double page spread of local businesses providing a welcome break from social isolation focused on how important the local shops had been to keep the community alive and connected.
Finalist 2
Brown Hill Community Newsletter
The Brown Hill Community Newsletter is published bi-monthly by the Brown Hill Progress Association. Based on the north east side of Ballarat, and cut in half by the Western Freeway to Melbourne, this community is obviously proud of their role in bringing their community together.
The potential opening of a new Water Shed Café is celebrated and the paper certainly recognises its local business sponsors. As well, the Brown Hill Community Newsletter is prepared to lobby the City of Ballarat and to raise issues that affect its residents, including the development of a new Local Area Plan, traffic management issues near the kindergarten and school, the lack of bus shelters and the late opening of the community pool.
As well, their magazine includes good information about Brown Hill Fire Awareness and preparedness for the summer season.
Another important issue the newsletter raises if the lack of a Post Office since Australia Post closed its doors in Brown Hill in 2017.
With news about the Nerrina Wetlands working bees, local Perridak Burron Early Learning Centre, Playgroup, Kindergarten and Caledonian Primary School, there is a great deal of community information for all residents
Workshops run by Ballarat Wholefoods Collective and notes about the Community Garden, the local Lions Club and Neighbourhood Houses, ParkRun, VicSwim and Auskick certainly give the community plenty of information about how to participate in local activities which bring the community together.
Best Newspaper
Winner
Great Gisborne Gazette
Judges Comments
“Interesting articles, informative, sometimes humorous, good photos, strong connection to community. Great layout. I liked the linkages, eg, all the environmental articles and photos on successive pages”.
Finalists
The Otway Light
North and West Melbourne News
Ballarat East Community News
Ferntree Gully News
Harcourt News The Core
Rowville-Lysterfield Community News
Tallangatta Herald
