Formed in 1936 when Sydney Newspapers Ltd., owned by Frank Packer and former federal Treasurer Ted Theodore, acquired the Daily Telegraph from Denison's Associated Newspapers, forming Consolidated Press Ltd. Australian Consolidated Press (ACP) was formed in 1957 when Packer bought out the shares owned by Ted Theodore.
In the postwar mood of encouraging a new culture, the Daily Telegraph offered 1,000 pounds and guaranteed publication for the best novel written in Australia. In 1948 the winner was not announced nor was it published by Consolidated; Come in Spinner was eventually published by Heinemann (1951).
In 1950 Consolidated acquired Shakespeare Head Press and joined with D. Davis and Co to publish Little Golden Books. The same year Consolidated Press moved into overseas publishing when it acquired Frederick Muller, the British distributors of Golden Books. It also launched True Books for older children. In 1980 Golden Press was sold to Gordon & Gotch.