Researched and written by Julie Middleton & Alan Olliver

Did you know that Mt Victoria has had a newsletter for the last fifty years?

The first one began as an initiative of Trish Hall, the first Inner City Ministry community worker for Mount Victoria. The original newsletter was called ‘Mount Victoria Action’. Its purpose was to galvanise community opinions and communicate these to the Wellington City Council. The issue at that time was the redevelopment of inner-city housing.

Trish worked with Clyde Quay School, which at that time was viewed as the community hub. Both Trish and the School wanted the students to become ‘active citizens’ in the community. The articles were researched and written by senior students with the help of school staff and some parents. It was predominately written in English but there were also some headings in Greek, Samoan and Vietnamese.

The newsletter was produced on a Gestetner printer with the help of the office machinery firm Armstrong and Springhall, who created the stencils. The format was generally three double sided pages stapled in the corner. Senior students delivered the newspaper, getting out of school early to do this. The first issue was produced in July 1974 and it was produced bimonthly after that.

Early editions included articles on the Council’s Comprehensive Urban Renewal Areas (CURA), and a housing survey. Other topics included the WCC election, the development of the school playground, encouraging new younger members at the Victoria Bowling Club and the lack of a well maintained sports ground at Charles Plimmer Park. Rubbish and the lack of bins, especially at the shops in lower Majoribanks Street, was mentioned. The publication also had an article celebrating the Greek community at the School.

There were Letters to the Editor supporting the new community newsletter and raising local issues of concern. Community notices included promoting the Under 5’s Creche in the Kent Terrace Presbyterian Church hall and Plunket services in Moncrieff Street.

In November 1975, Trish left to go overseas and Mount Victoria Action ceased publication.

A long running newspaper called ‘Downtown’, also sponsored by the ICM, provided an alternative avenue for issues that were concerning Mount Victorians. Local resident Richard Norman was editor of this newspaper for 1975 and 1976. The newspaper folded in late 1976 as its funding ran out and advertising revenue was hard to find.

The Mount Victoria Newsletter as we know it today started in early 1977, initiated by the new ICM worker Margy-Jean Malcom. 

The format was generally a double sided A4 page, still printed on Gestetner machine. The main contentious issue at the time, was the impacts of the proposed Admiral Motel Development in Ellice and Moir Streets.

This publication has now been going for 47 years.

Thanks to Trish Hall, Margy Jean Malcolm and Richard Norman for contributing information for this article.