Gazette journalists Emma Ballingall and Nicholas Duck were both highly commended in Rural Press Club of Victoria awards on Friday night.
The annual awards, held in Bendigo, recognise excellence in rural journalism and photography.
Emma was a finalist in the Community Champion Journalist Award while Nicholas was a finalist in two categories - the Ray Frawley Young Journalist of the Year Award and Best Sports Story award.
Emma was awarded highly commended for her entry. The three pieces of work submitted demonstrated how Emma had been a voice for the community in telling the stories of rural people and in local government.
Her portfolio of work included her stories on an independent investigation into allegations of fraud and corruption in Baw Baw Shire; efforts to save Scope when council threatened to end its lease; and the story of residents who faced homelessness when a caravan park was set to close.
Nicholas was awarded highly commended in the Best Sports Story Award for his heartfelt story on former Warragul footballer Cooper Alger - "Cooper's road to recovery," which appeared in The Gazette in October 2023.
Nicholas also was commended for his entry in the young journalist of the year award in which he submitted a portfolio of work that reflected his work across all areas of our newsroom, not just in sport. His entry included "Cooper's road to recovery;" "A Fighting Chance" - the story of a local boxing club trying to find a home; and, the story of Leigh McDonald "Changing the concussion conversation."