THE Ipswich Tribune has been recognised for outstanding editorial content in this year’s Queensland Country Press Association awards.

Tribune Editor Brian Bennion was presented the Journalistic Excellence Award for an Individual Journalist.

The Ipswich Tribune also won Best Editorial Campaign for Bennion’s series of stories on the expansion of the Tivoli Raceway.

Photographer Lyle Radford was awarded second and third place in Best News Picture with his photographs of the Ipswich flood clean-up awarded second place for the Ipswich Tribune and his image of a lightning strike over Rosewood awarded third place for sister publication the Moreton Border News.

The Ipswich Tribune was also awarded third place for Overall Journalistic Excellence Award for a Newspaper.

Judges commented on the Tribune’s commitment to covering the big issues in Ipswich.

“For a relatively new newspaper it is easy to see why (the Ipswich Tribune) has rapidly gained the support of the region,” judges Dr Kristy Hess and Alison McAdam said.

“The front page of this newspaper packs a punch with local content. There doesn’t seem to be a council agenda item overlooked by this newspaper and it clearly digs deeper to explore big issues where needed.”

With more than 50 newspapers now members of the QCPA there were a record number of entries in the Media Excellence Awards.

The role of president of the QCPA was hotly contested in the AGM this year with editor-in-chief of the Ipswich Tribune and Fassifern Guardian Drew Creighton, 29, elected to the position, one of the youngest elected presidents in the more than 100 year history of the QCPA.

Mr Creighton is the third generation of the Creighton family elected to the position.

The Tribune’s sister publication The Fassifern Guardian also claimed second place for the prestigious Best Paid Newspaper award and third place for Best Editorial Campaign for Wendy Creighton’s series of stories Saving Minto Crag which achieved a clear outcome for the indigenous community.