Graduating University during a global pandemic was challenging, from the shift to online learning to hearing about the closure of many regional newspapers.
Through it all, the University of Queensland Journalism cohort strived to remain positive. After all, news was going to exist whether or not we had a newspaper to publish it in. For myself, the plan was always to move to a regional town to start my Journalism career. There is no better feeling than seeing your name under a story that means so much to the community.
Luckily, I scored a position at the Burnett Today which is just 2 and a half hours from my native Sunshine Coast. I received the news a week before Christmas, which made for a great conversation topic with the relatives during Christmas lunch.
Having lived in Brisbane for the last 4 years, I am ready for a quiet break from the hustle and bustle of the city. During the drive in, I felt at peace as I travelled away from the busy highway and toward the green vegetation – thanks to a heavily anticipated period of rain.
The move has been daunting, I’d never been to Kingaroy before and all my friends and family lived between Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast. Despite my nerves, I knew that a move to Kingaroy was absolutely the right decision for me.
I feel extremely fortunate to have found a position at a time where so many in my industry are struggling, especially a position in the beautiful South Burnett region. From a quick Google search of Kingaroy I was excited to explore the town, from the renowned peanut van to the nearby Bunya mountains. I wanted a community feel coupled with great opportunities, and what better place to find that then in regional Queensland.
