IN Noosa Magazine celebrated its 10th anniversary at the Sunshine Beach Surf Club, bringing together members of the community.
“At a time when print publications are shrinking or disappearing altogether, the team at IN Noosa Magazine has continued to flourish thanks to its authentic voice and mission to be more than a magazine. The aim was to always create a community where local businesses, arts, culture, food, and environmental organisations are supported to grow,” said Deb Caruso, IN Noosa magazine founder.
“Ten years in business for any small business is an achievement and for my team, who live and breathe to tell stories in an increasingly challenging media environment, it’s a journey definitely worth celebrating. This is a chance for us to thank the Noosa community and our clients, many of whom have been with us from the start, for their ongoing support. Cheers to the next part of the journey,” added Caruso.
Whilst print circulation in Australia has dropped by more than 60 per cent since 2013, IN Noosa magazine has more than tripled (from 56 to 180) its page numbers since first launching in 2014.
“We have always stayed true to our mission of connecting community through storytelling, whether that be in print, online, or through events,” she said.
The business has its own podcast, “Everyone Has a Story: Conversations from the Sunshine Coast and Noosa,” with more than 200 interviews and 40,000 downloads, plus a weekly e-newsletter.
“From the start, we have been committed to being a sustainable business here for the long-term and to firmly establish our place in the market as a voice for the region and to be a focal point for businesses to reach the right people in the right environment,” said co-publisher Paul Bird.
During the pandemic in 2020 when most print publications were forced to down tools, Caruso and her team spotted an urgent need to support the local business community which was cut off from international and interstate travellers. The magazine launched a special publication, ‘The IN Noosa Guide’, which was produced in just three weeks to provide locals and those who could travel to Noosa, with the perfect starting point to discover and explore the region.
“The IN Noosa Guide is a great example of where the magazine seeks to inform, indulge, and inspire readers to love all things local. It was produced off the back of success having done similar guides for Peregian Beach Business Association (Village Vibes) and Noosa Junction (Destination Junction),” said Caruso.
The business became a publishing house with its parent company, IN Publishing which launched Hello Sunshine Magazine in December 2020.
At the same time, they released ‘VanillaFood; The Cookbook’, a 260-page cookbook for local chef Nilla Tomkins, and they are currently putting the finishing touches on another cookbook for a local restaurant with more in the works.
This edition marks the three-billionth page being printed of more than 557,000 magazines, all on certified eco-stock with the editions consistently running at 180 pages.
