Editor’s letter: Introducing the 150th issue

By Chrissie Goldrick 17 May 2019
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Editor-in-Chief Chrissie Goldrick introduces the 150th issue of Australian Geographic.

OUR LIVES have changed in so many ways since that day in late December 1985 when the first Australian Geographic journal appeared in mailboxes and newsagencies around Australia.

Dick Smith described the first issue as a labour of love and expressed his hopes and aspirations that a magazine that presents a positive viewpoint and is unashamedly and proudly Australian could survive, and maybe even thrive, in a tough and competitive media landscape. It was a big ask, but Australians jumped on board in their hundreds of thousands, and, within a short time, the journal cemented itself in the Australian psyche.

 

 

Australian Geographic became synonymous with beautiful photography, landmark cartography and excellent writing, not to mention the promotion of a spirit of adventure and a sense of responsibility for nature. In this special 150th edition, we have real cause for celebration as we continue to uphold those original values in the face of huge upheavals to our industry that have revolutionised the way people access entertainment, news and information. We are proud to be counted among the top seven most-read magazines in Australia and proud of the growth in our readership in recent years. Along with those new readers, we are honoured that so many of our current subscribers have walked every step of the way with us on this 33-year journey around our great continent as we have explored the landscapes, communities, organisations, and flora and fauna that make Australia such an extraordinary place to live and visit.

In this special collector’s edition we check back in on the legend of Harold Lasseter to see if his dream of an El Dorado in the vast red desert can still capture the modern imagination. We uncover more fascinating facts and some real concerns about the duckbilled platypus, the wondrous native creature that adorned the first cover of AG and became our company symbol.

On our poster, we nominate the 150 moments in history that we believe have come to define our nation. And we have included a list of the main features of every issue and a map of Australia with 33 years of destination stories plotted there. It’s a snapshot of all the places we’ve been while also revealing those yet to be explored in the pages of AG. We look forward to continuing that journey of discovery with you far into the future.