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It all began when ......

During the mid 1990’s, publishers of the Hinchinbrook Informer and Magnetic Island Informer, Geoff and Lynne Hartley (a Townsville couple), were inspired by their holiday visits to the Cardwell Shire to produce their third directory. Recognising the symbolic importance of the endangered cassowary in the local region, the publication was named the Cassowary Informer Telephone & Business Directory. First published in 1997, the Cassowary Informer serviced the entire Cardwell Shire region from Cardwell to Tully, including Mission Beach and southern parts of the Johnstone Shire.

Tamara and Howard both grew up in the Cardwell Shire and after completing high school, left the region to pursue their own professional careers. In 1999, Tamara, now a qualified illustrator and graphic designer, returned to Cardwell and soon after, was commissioned to illustrate the cover of the third Cassowary Informer. Tamara continued to illustrate the front cover artwork for the Hartley’s as the directory’s popularity in the local region grew. In 2005, newly married Tamara and Howard, extended their involvement with the Cassowary Informer to include design and layup of the publication and advertising sales for the Hartley’s from their Tully office. In 2008, Tamara and Howard purchased the Cassowary Informer and in that same year, the Cardwell Shire and Johnstone Shire Councils amalgamated to become the Cassowary Coast Regional Council. For many years after the amalgamation and with another directory servicing the Innisfail region, the Cassowary Informer continued to grow whilst remaining loyal to its original area of Cardwell to Silkwood.

In 2021, in preparation for the 25th edition, the Cassowary Informer became the Cassowary Coast Informer, expanding to service the entire Cassowary Coast as the regions premier printed and online telephone and business directory.

Since its first beginnings, the Cassowary Coast Informer continues to be an independent, family owned and operated publication that is proudly locally produced,  hosted online in Queensland and printed in Australia.