I want to start my final column of the year by acknowledging those impacted by the terror attack in Bondi last week.
This attack will stain Australia forever.
But as much as horrors like this show us the worst of humankind, in the same breath they show us the best.
The incredible stories of heroism and bravery that have emerged out of this attack are the hope and light we must cling to.
As we move through the holidays, we must put our arms around the Jewish community, and my thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families as they confront the difficult path ahead.
What happened last week is a horrible conclusion to a year that, has always, delivered a roller-coaster ride.
I write 49 of these columns a year.
About 10 of them are set in stone. Things like ANZAC Day, the start of the footy season, poignant anniversaries and things like that.
The rest somehow find their way from head to keyboard.
This particular column, my last for the year, is always one I look forward to writing.
I’m a reflection kind of guy. I love to look back at the path we have taken to get to the final destination, in this case the end of the year.
It also signals a moment of “we made it”. Through all the trials and tribulations of the year, the good days and bad, we find ourselves face to face with Santa Claus and everything else Christmas brings.
Of course, the reality is, many did not make it.
Each year we lose people, many of whom had a significant impact on Parramatta.
But of equal importance, many of you would have lost people not quite as well known. And as you face your first Christmas without your loved one, my thoughts are with you and I acknowledge just how difficult this time of year can be.
For me this year that is my uncle, Noel, who passed away after a short battle with dementia. He would have been 75 on Boxing Day.
We saw an intriguing year politically, with Labor and Anthony Albanese returned to power in an election that feels like an age ago, with Andrew Charlton re-elected as the Federal Member for Parramatta.
It felt like every week we were publishing a story about some sort of development in Parramatta, proving that the evolution of our city is far from complete.
We will continue to see Parramatta grow and expand in the years ahead, with many of the foundations of that growth put in place this year.
The ABC found its new home in Parramatta, and we experienced our first year of the first stage of the Parramatta Light Rail, a new chapter in our city’s transport history.
On the sporting front we saw Rosehill Gardens dominate the headlines for much of the year, with the iconic race track staying put… for now at least.
The Parramatta Eels had an impressive year under new coach Jason Ryles, setting in place what will hopefully be the first steps towards a successful era for the club.
In an era of social media distrust, AI, scams and overall uncertainty, traditional media outlets shine as somewhere you can turn when you need factual information without an agenda. That continues to be our mission for all of you.
I’d like to thank my incredible team here at Parra News.
Our journalists Nathan Taylor, Ally Hall and Emily Chate continue to write Parramatta’s stories, one yarn at a time. I’d also like to acknowledge Ellie Busby, who finished at Parra News this year but continues to write about Parramatta and western Sydney at The Sydney Morning Herald.
Our sales team of Andrew Harris, Rebecca Vella, Callum Gilbert and Maria Van Den Broek continue to work hand in hand with local businesses to deliver the best on the ground marketing in town.
Our production team of Kacey Wilson, Ian Beard and Maddie Dantier, and our accounts coordinator Amanda Coskerie, play such a critical role in everything we do.
I’d like to thank our publisher and CEO Kathryn Garton for her continued support, and faith in Parra News. It really is something we cherish.
I want to acknowledge all of our suppliers and wider team, including Naveen Chand who heads up our distribution team.
A special thank you to all of our advertisers and partners. You ensure we can continue doing what we do, and the support you show your local paper is something we value beyond words could ever convey.
And lastly thanks to you, our readers, for your ongoing support. To have your vote of confidence in what we do is the greatest gift we could ask for.
We love hearing your feedback about stories you love, and even things you don’t. It helps guide the direction we take the paper, and our online presence.
The final print edition of Parra News is out now.
Our first print edition of 2026 will be out on Tuesday, January 20.
Our team is taking a break over the summer. A limited news service will run on our website and socials over the holidays.
I hope you have a wonderful Christmas. Please stay safe, and we’ll see you back on the roller-coaster next year.
Troy Dodds is Parra News' Managing Editor and Breaking News Reporter. He has more than 20 years experience as a journalist, working with some of Australia’s leading media organisations. In 2023, he was named Editor of the Year at the Mumbrella Publish Awards.