Jim Gibbard was educated at Boys State Central School and State High School, Charters Towers, before leaving school in 1913 for a cadetship at The Evening Telegraph. On 16 September 1915 he joined The Northern Miner as a journalist, then transferred in 1916 to work as a sub-editor at The Townsville Daily Bulletin, and again as sub-editor at The North Queensland Register in 1924.
From 1 December 1941, Gibbard became editor of The Townsville Daily Bulletin and The North Queensland Register. In December 1943 he was appointed to the Board of Directors of the North Queensland Newspaper Company, serving as Chairman from 1963. Awarded an MBE in January 1969, Gibbard died on 15 April 1974, still holding the offices of Executive Chairman and Editor.
Source: James Manion. Paper Power in North Queensland. Townsville: The North Queensland Newspaper Company, 1982.
