The Cootamundra Times and Twin Town Times are extremely excited to announce the arrival of Christopher Tan, our newest journalist to join the team. Chris will be working in a full-time capacity and will be covering news across the two major towns and the villages in-between.

Chris moved to Perth when he was nine, having spent most of his youth growing up in the WA suburb of Ellenbrook, 3,539km away from Cootamundra.

The proud sandgroper is also a recent journalism graduate from Curtin University, having finished his studies in June.

During the challenging times of the pandemic,
23-year-old Chris said his determination and
passion to tell stories is what helped him earn his new role.

He said. “I think when COVID-19 first arrived, it was
like a double-edged sword for me. On one hand,

[my]

applications were getting withdrawn, companies were reducing staff numbers and restructuring. On the other hand, I spent more time at home improving my craft, I reached out to more people and I got involved in sourcing and contributing stories to both my blog and to other
regional newspapers.”

In Year 10, Chris contributed to his school newsletter with weekly stories of school and student achievements. In Year 12 he followed the school’s state basketball team closely and wrote various articles which ended up published in the local paper.

For the past three years, the young journo has been passionate and interested in writing about
community stories, as evident with his personal Facebook page ‘The Tofu Talks’.

Earlier this year, he earned recognition on Perthnow for a university story he wrote, one about the lives of elderly ladies who knit from home for those in need.

Chris was also involved in the Student Guild during his studies, emceeing, performing inspirational talks and creating social media content to reach out to international students.

For the past few months, Chris has been actively contributing stories to a newspaper outlet in regional SA as well as volunteering as a match reporter for Netball WA.

Just two weeks ago, Chris was one of the first reporters to cover WA’s first live sporting event with a crowd, since the pandemic began.

Besides being a full-time journalist, he also enjoys playing sports, early morning runs, tunes and a good coffee. He is very fond of the round ball game and will be looking to join the Strikers when he arrives. When not playing football, Chris will be out and about covering all of the local sports Coota and Harden-Murrumburrah have to offer.
When asked about what he is looking forward to, Chris said it was the people of Cootamundra and Harden Murrumburrah and about the stories and issues that matter to them.

“To do a job you enjoy is fulfilment, but to have a job that also gives back to the people is a blessing,” he said.
“The existence and work of the Coota Times and the Twin Town Times is so important, it’s about having an independent paper that the locals can look forward to each week.”

Times staffer Nyssa Stadtmiller said, “Chris was an outstanding applicant and we expect this will continue on to his position at the Times. He is
energetic and knowledgable and eager to learn. He will contribute greatly to the success of the publications. It will allow the joint papers to expand with more pages and more content in the next couple of weeks as Chris settles in to the communities in which he will live and work.”

We look forward to having Chris on board here at the Coota Times and the Twin Town Times, be sure to welcome Chris when you see him.