As the leading local newspaper covering the shires of Gatton, Laidley, Esk, Brisbane Valley and the western townships of the Ipswich Council area, The Lockyer & Somerset Independent is located in the heart of one of the richest and most fertile agricultural regions in Australia. Read by 64% of local residents, The Independent is undoubtedly the major source of news, sport, property, entertainment and retail information in Gatton and surrounding communities**.

As a community newspaper, The Independent covers a variety of events, be it the induction of school captains (there are more than 50 schools in our coverage area), shows, festivals, council meetings, farming, local business, local industry through to the major issues concerning our region.

The Independent is a free weekly community newspaper averaging 36 pages and circulating to more than 20,700 readers from Withcott in the West to Walloon in the East, Linville in the North and Mt Sylvia in the South.

The Independent publishes special reports and supplements focusing on rural and agriculture, farming alternatives, housing features, motoring information, entertainment, tradespeople and business people profiles.

The classifieds in The Independent, including births, deaths, engagements, marriages as well as the for sale or wanted columns, are as well read as the editorial content and is an indication as to the way the community feels and relies on The Independent as their communication vehicle across the Lockyer and Brisbane Valley areas.

History

The first edition of The Lockyer & Somerset Independent hit the streets on 14 October 2020. The newspaper was started by former Gatton Star staff following NewsCorp’s regional restructure in June 2020. 

Each week The Independent brings readers a chronicle of events and a random coverage of stories, news and happenings from across the Lockyer and Brisbane Valleys.