IT IS with a heavy heart I write my final column for the Mandurah Mail as editor.
I have made a decision to move on from the paper that has been my home for the past three-and-a-half years.
Writing this column is certainly tougher than I thought it would be.
As I think back to my time here in our Pinjarra Road office, I have bucket loads of great memories from my start as a journalist, my time as deupty editor and finally as editor.
Plenty of exciting things have happened in my life while I was here at the Mandurah Mail.
I bought a house, got engaged and later married, went on a four-week trip of a lifetime and found workmates I know I will have as friends until the day I die.
Yes, there have been times when I messaged a former editor with an address in case I was murdered on the job and trust me, putting out the State’s biggest regional weekly newspaper is certainly no walk in the park, but I have no regrets and wouldn’t have had it any other way.
What I would like to do is thank our readers.
Without you, there would be no point in me even bothering to come in to work.
You guys have helped my team and our paper grow from a small site into a hit-generating machine battling online with some of the country’s biggest daily papers.
For this, I can’t thank you enough.
I know my excellent staff will continue on with the good work we have done in the 15 months I was editor.
You might be surprised it is not the angry phone calls I will miss the most, but my amazing team.
Without them I wouldn’t have half the fun I do at work.
To come to work every day and find something to laugh about is a blessing.
One I have probably taken for granted these past few years.
So thank you team.
I look forward to reading your paper after I go.