The ''Geelong Independent'' is a local free weekly

newspaper A newspaper is a Periodical literature, periodical publication containing written News, information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background. Newspapers can cover a wide variety of fields such as poli ...

delivered to houses in the

Geelong Geelong ( ) (Wathawurrung language, Wathawurrung: ''Djilang''/''Djalang'') is a port city in Victoria, Australia, located at the eastern end of Corio Bay (the smaller western portion of Port Phillip Bay) and the left bank of Barwon River (Victo ...

region in

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Queen Victoria (1819–1901), Queen of the United Kingdom and Empress of India * Victoria (state), a state of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, a provincial capital * Victoria, Seychelles, the capi ...

. The newspaper was first published on 31 October 1986 and was started by a group of local businessmen - mostly real estate agents and car yard salesmen - unhappy with the cost of advertising in existing local publications. They sold their share to the

Star News Group Star News Group is a media company based in Pakenham, Victoria, in Australia. Star publishes many community newspapers in the Melbourne area and other parts of Victoria. It also has publications in Queensland and South Australia. Star also publi ...

managed by fourth generation owner, Paul Thomas, in the mid-2000s with a gradual takeover by the family owned newspaper company. The managing editor is Tony Galpin, a former senior journalist at the ''Independent'' before taking over as editor. He formerly worked on the '' Wimmera Mail Times''.

See also