Front cover of the Melbourne Advertiser newspaper. 15 January, 1838 Vol 1 No.3
In 1838, with no printing press available, the early issues of the Melbourne Advertiser were handwritten for, and published by John Pascoe Fawkner.
Its pages were filled with shipping news and reports from Sydney, as well as advertisements for Port Phillip businesses.
Fawkner’s aim was to make the paper freely available to everyone in Melbourne, but his business acumen recognised he could make a profit, so he eventually included the paper in the price of a counter meal at his pub.
However, after only 17 editions Fawkner was forced to cease production as he didn’t have a publication licence from the Colonial government.
But a year later he was back in business publishing his new newspaper, The Port Phillip Patriot. (Source: SLV)