THE long-time publisher of the Portland Observer, Joy Davis, has passed on the reins to the eldest of her 15 children, Michael.

Mr Davis is now officially the publisher of the historic newspaper.  

Mrs Davis, 95, remains co-owner of the paper with her large family in partnership with the publisher of the Hamilton Spectator and the Casterton News, Richard Beks, and others.

Michael Davis has run another family business, Davis Print, since 1978. He co-owns the business with his wife, Glenda.

Mr Davis joined the family business after leaving high school after Form 4 and worked there until mid-1974, when he and Glenda moved to Darwin. It was to prove an experience they would never forget. At 3am on Christmas Day Mr Davis was finishing his first, hectic shift as a constable with the Northern Territory Police Force when the full brunt of Cyclone Tracy struck, killing dozens and flattening the city.

Glenda sought refuge in the neighbouring apartment of the police accommodation complex and sat on a couch with six others in the passageway. “Glenda saw the roof lift off but she was safe,” Mr Davis said.

“We moved around quite a bit after the cyclone.  Glenda was evacuated on December 27 on the Boeing 747 that held the world record for number of passengers for many years.

“We lived in caravans and demountable homes (10 moves) until we left Darwin.”

Their first child, Ultra, was born in Darwin in 1976 but the city was forever changed and they returned to Portland in December 1976. Their second daughter, Chanel, was born in 1979 in Portland.

Chanel runs the family print and newsagency business in Percy Street and Ultra lives in Warrnambool; she and her husband have four children.

Mr Davis turned 75 on June 10 but still works three days a week and has no plans to retire completely.

Printer’s ink has run through the veins of the Davis family for generations.

Michael’s great-grandfather Edwin Davis co-founded the Portland Observer in competition with the conservative Portland Guardian, which had begun in 1842. (The Davis family eventually bought the Guardian in 1963 and merged the mastheads.)

Edwin’s eldest son Lindsay took over as editor in 1930 and then his grandson Ray in 1950. Apart from two small breaks, Ray was editor until 1985 and co-publisher with his wife, Joy.

The E. Davis & Sons newspaper and printing business operated from a historic bluestone bond store in Julia Street. (The 1852 building, built by the Hentys and still owned by the Davis family, has been converted to holiday rental accommodation; Joy Davis lives in a modern apartment next door that she built on the site of Edwin Davis’ residence.)

In 1968, the Davis family went into partnership with the Hamilton Spectator, with newspaper printing operations moving to Hamilton. That partnership continues to this day.

In 1980, Davis Print and The Observer moved to purpose-built premises at 112 Percy Street. The paper later moved to its current premises at 47 Percy Street.

“I remember many times being woken up at about 4am and taken to the print factory to run the folding machine and then walking up Julia Street straight to the high school, I smelt of ink and newsprint,” Michael Davis said.

“I would often stop at Ernie Albertson's milk bar and buy three Cherry Ripe bars for two shillings. That was my breakfast!”

The Portland Observer celebrates its 134th anniversary on Monday, June 23.