The Western Australian was printed by William Temple Graham on the Ruthven Press used to produce the first printed newspaper in Western Australia, the Fremantle Observer, Perth Gazette and Western Australian Journal. The press was purchased by Graham after the demise of the Observer.
George Fletcher Moore describes the newspaper in his diary entry of 31 October 1831 as '... a scurrilous production - too personal.' (J. M. R. Cameron (ed.), The Millendon Memoirs (2006): 59)
According to some accounts of early Western Australian newspaper history, Graham with William Nairne Clark, Thomas Newte Yule and George French Johnson were all involved in publishing the Western Australian.
Clark and Johnson, with Yule and Graham as seconds, were the protagonists of the first duel fought in Western Australia on the 17 August 1832 in which Johnson was fatally wounded. Clark, Yule and Graham were committed for trial for murder. There were no convictions. Whether the argument between Clark and Johnson was precipitated by their possible connection to the Western Australian is unclear.
The Western Australian Colonial News
1832
Perth
:
W. T. Graham
,
1832
5993032
1832
newspaper
'In the issue for May 26, 1832, No. 13, an editorial note explains that there has been an "interregnum" owing to shortage of money, and the necessity to publish at certain periods only until the paper was better supported. From this date the name was changed to Western Australian Colonial News and publication was fortnightly.'
Source: John Alexander Ferguson, Bibliography of Australia : Volume II : 1831-1838 (1945): 33, Ferguson no. 1501
