Looking back at our rich history
THE Chronicle has come a long way in its 159 years of history, but one thing has remained the same – its commitment to Toowoomba and the Darling Downs.
The paper is a product of the incorporation of two newspapers.
Sydney Arthur Lyon founded the Darling Downs Gazette on June 10, 1858.
The Chronicle, founded by Darius Hunt, began as a four penny weekly on July 4, 1861 in a coach builder’s shop on James St.
It became a biweekly (Wednesday and Saturday) on its fifth birthday in 1866 but reverted to a weekly on October 8, 1870.
On October 5, 1875, The Chronicle became a triweekly before reverting to a biweekly in December that year.
On February 4, 1876, William Groom, Toowoomba’s first mayor, became sole proprietor.
In 1922, the Dunn family amalgamated the two papers as the Toowoomba Chronicle and Darling Downs Gazette.
The combined newspaper was published first on October 2, 1922.
On October 20, 1969, The Chronicle format was changed from broadsheet to tabloid.
An opposition daily, the Darling Downs Star, began publication on July 11, 1955.
The Chronicle and Downs Star merged on October 1, 1970.
Today, The Chronicle is owned by News Corp Australia.
Key dates
1861: Darius Hunt founds The Chronicle as a weekly
1866: The Chronicle becomes a biweekly publication
1869: Paper moves to Reid’s Building on Ruthven St
1874: William Henry Groom buys into The Chron- icle, and it moves to Hodgson’s Buildings
1876: Groom becomes the sole proprietor
1877: The Chronicle shifts to Margaret St
1878: The paper becomes a triweekly
1906: The Chronicle becomes a daily newspaper
1922: The Dunn family purchases The Chronicle and it merges with the Darling Downs Gazette
1942: News and photographs appear on the front page
1969: The Chronicle switches from a broadsheet to a smaller tabloid format
2011: The Chronicle moves its office to a purposebuilt building on Neil St.
Did you know? The Chronicle in 1951 made Australian history by being the first daily newspaper to set up its own home delivery service.