Andrew Messenger is Glen Innes’ latest citizen. He is an experienced regional journalist who commenced work with the Glen Innes Examiner on Monday, so if you happen to see him on the street do not be affraid to say good day.
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He turned 28 on Sunday, so happy birthday Andrew. He is originally from Brisbane, engaged, and yes he is a cane toad supporter. That’s the important stuff out of the way.
Andrew commenced his career with in South West Queensland with the Western Times in Charleville.
Charleville is about three hours west of Roma, which was a hell of a start to my journalism career.
- Andrew Messenger
“They kind of chucked me into the deep end and I sort of worked it out. Out there I was doing courts, council, police rounds and a lot of sport as well,” Andrew said.
“It was a really big job. From there I went back to Brisbane and worked for a political party and then to Hobart in Tasmania.
“I grew up in a city which was just suburban and routine, and I went to Tasmania and there’s just character everywhere. There were these great, wonderful people who had all these stories.”
Andrew said he basically found regional stories in Hobart; the type he always found the most enjoyable to discover and write about. He he felt the need to find his way back to mainstream journalism.
“I realised that was the sort of thing I was missing in politics. Also it was just miserable,” he said.
“I really like the weather here, I really like the extremes of hot and cold. I like that and I like that it’s got all sorts of characters.
“That main street in Glen is clearly bustling and busy, enterprising and exciting, and it’s also an agricultural town.
“So, it’s got the salt of the earth people who are putting the hard yards in doing their jobs and it’s got that village lifestyle as well.”
Andrew said he thought Glen Innes had a bit of everything and was certainly on the move.
“People make a regional town. You can’t really have a regional town without 20 or so stories a day,” he said.
“You only get those by meeting people and being available.”