It rolled off the presses in Dubbo on Wednesday and, as usual, was trucked the long 354 kilometres to its band of loyal readers in the Ridge.

The Ridge News has been the voice of the daily life of Lightning Ridge miners, farmers, tradespeople, truckers and teachers and the rest of the community. It brought the news of the community to you all.

Once a week its pages chronicled the feats of local sporting teams, what was happening at the central school, festivals, police news, Walgett Shire Council news, mining news and reports, letters to the editor and all the usual fare of country life.

Without us many of our community’s defining moments would never have been told.

The paper was originally called the Lightning Ridge News, was bought by Rural Press in 1996 and is now part of Fairfax Media.

I have been with the paper for the past 19 years and it has been my privilege to have worked with Seeana Briscoe, Amanda Cheal, Jenni Brammall, Kelly Tishler, Rebel Black, Lori White, Carolyn Press, Aleisha Bell, Robina Boardman, Bobbie Leicester, Emma Remond, Danielle King and Robyn Dibly and various journalists.

The Ridge News has also seen many work experience children from the Lightning Ridge Central School put in a week or two writing stories, taking photos and, preparing themselves for the big wide world after school life.

It is a very sad day that the Ridge loses its only newspaper.

I would like to say thank you to all the contributors who have shared their stories with me so I could put them out to the community - and for all the occasions I have been invited to share your special moment.

Thank you to Lightning Ridge, the towns of Goodooga, Collarenebri, Walgett and the surrounding opal fields Grawin, Glengarry and Sheepyard for giving me the news so I could share it with our readers.

To our loyal advertisers, some who have been with us for many years, I would also like to say thank you.

And thank you - the readers - who have bought the paper religiously each Thursday. I guess this is time to sign off