LOCAL Ipswich News and sister publication Local Redland Bayside News have celebrated a major night of success at the 2026 Queensland Country Press Awards, earning multiple honours across journalism, editorial and marketing categories.
The awards recognise the strength of independent regional journalism, with both newspapers acknowledged among Queensland’s leading community publications.
Local Ipswich News enjoyed a breakthrough evening, claiming the Best Editorial Campaign award for its widely supported Bring Ed Sheeran to Ipswich campaign, which captured strong community attention and engagement across the region.
The Ipswich publication also won the Journalistic Team Excellence Award for a Newspaper, highlighting the quality and consistency of its reporting team, while additionally receiving third place in the Best Free Newspaper category.
Meanwhile, Local Redland Bayside News secured the Marketing Campaign of the Year award for its successful Champions of the Coast campaign, which promoted the Redlands Coast Sporting Hall of Fame and Sports Awards.
The publication was also awarded second place in the highly competitive Journalistic Team Excellence Award for a Newspaper category.
Group Editor Andrew Jefferson also received individual recognition on the night, for Best Single Story by an Individual Journalist.
