Inset: The 100 year history of Thomas family publishing is available from Star News Group’s Pakenham and Berwick offices.INK in Our Veins, the story of the Pakenham Gazette’s 100 year history has now been published and shares anecdotes from the people who put together the stories over the years.
The book celebrates the centenary of the Pakenham Gazette and the Star News Group and includes pictures of events that have shaped, shocked and built the community.
Throughout the past 100 years the Gazette has been there for all the breaking stories from the 2009 Black Saturday Bushfires, Ash Wednesday in 1983, the Channel 7 chopper crash near Lang Lang in 1982, the gas explosion at the Nar Nar Goon Hotel in 1972 and the Royal visit in 1983.
Four generations of the Thomas family have lived and breathed the Gazette and more recently the entire company of Star News Group.
“It is rare for a company to last 100 years and still be owned and run by the one family,” managing director Paul Thomas said.
“But this company has had the ability to take over one’s life and the families to know nothing else.
“It has also provided each generation the ability to be part of and make a difference to the community.”
“The book celebrates 100 years of community involvement, 100 years of publishing and 100 years of providing our communities a voice.”
The book, available from the Star News Group’s Pakenham and Berwick offices for $25, tells the story of the newspaper and the community it represents.
