Established in 1869 as the Casterton News, the paper later moved to Portland as the Western Advertiser.

In 1982, the Spectator-Observer Group bought it out to again serve Casterton, in Casterton and in 1989 the name reverted back to the Casterton News.

The independent, Hamilton and Portland-based Spectator Group, directed by the Beks and Davis families, published the Casterton News, Hamilton Spectator, Portland Observer and monthly publication, the Western District Farmer and printed in-house at Hamilton, until December, 2024.

At that time, the group announced it would cease publication of all titles in December, that year and all the mastheads, printing plant and associated real estate were offered for sale.

Casterton News managing editor, Kristy McDonald, worked in the media in four states across the country and was employed by the Spectator Group in various capacities including journalist, chief of staff and editor over many years, before being appointed full-time to the Casterton News in November, 2018.

Born and raised in Casterton and on a diet of Western Advertiser and Casterton News, she was committed to continuing the tradition of independent, local news, produced by local people and purchased the masthead from the Spectator Group.

The Casterton News remains the local weekly newspaper, published on Tuesdays and with the change of ownership in December 2024, grew to include an online edition as well as the printed publication, to ensure the tradition of a big local voice for local people continued, for its loyal readership and advertising base.

Kristy is proud to call her birthplace ‘home’ and grateful for the support of an amazing business community and readership, which spans not only across the district, but across the country, with ex-pats from across Australia subscribing to enjoy their dose of home-grown news, every week.