For more than 30 years, The Western Weekender has been the heartbeat of Penrith.
The Western Weekender is a local, independent publication that covers the Penrith Local Government Area.
It boasts the widest circulation of all papers in the Penrith region, and has a loyal and dedicated readership.
Started in 1991 by a group of businessmen keen to shed Penrith’s image of being a down-and-out city, the Weekender grew to become a true voice for the people of the region.
As Penrith and its surrounds grew and the area became a major regional city, The Western Weekender grew with it. Today, it boasts more than 100 pages each Thursday, including unrivalled coverage of local news and sport.
The Weekender provides a mix of up-to-date and breaking news, community stories, lifestyle columns and features, business stories, auto content, sports stories and much, much more. It also encompasses a dedicated Real Estate magazine, crosswords, quizzes and competitions. The newspaper is fully sectionalised, making it easy to read and allowing advertisers to target specific markets.
Over the years, the Weekender has been there for all the big events in Penrith. We were there for the 1991, 2003 and 2021 rugby league grand finals. We were there when the Olympic Games came to Penrith, and we were there when political scandals engulfed the area. When news breaks, you can rely on our journalists to be there. That is our promise and commitment to you – no matter what our competitors may be doing, we guarantee you a local, on the ground newsroom. Penrith news, by Penrith people, for Penrith people.
The Western Weekender is proud that its editorial, sales, production and administration staff are all based in Penrith.
In 2009, the Weekender was purchased by MediaView Pty Ltd, and under that ownership, grew to become a true force in local media.
In 2015, the Weekender was purchased by the Western Sydney Publishing Group, owned by Kathryn Garton. It ensured the Weekender’s ownership returned to local hands.
The Western Weekender continues to provide Penrith residents with the complete local newspaper, full of engaging content and targeted advertising.
Online, The Western Weekender continues to evolve from the traditional local newspaper format, providing up-to-date news on the website, plus regular updates across social media.
The Western Weekender is a true icon in Penrith and a local business success story in its own right.
Parra News was launched in November 2020, expanding Western Sydney Publishing Group's reach in western Sydney.
In 2024, Western Sydney Publishing Group launched Bradfield Bulletin and The Blue Mountains Record, two brand new news websites.