[1] Along with its extensive coverage of Australian rules football (for example, it was responsible for the competition that produced the original VFL/AFL team songs), The Sun News-Pictorial distinguished itself with its photography, columns, and cartoons.
Its longest-running column was "A Place in the Sun", originally written by Keith Dunstan, founder of the Anti-Football League, and later Graeme "Jacko" Johnstone.
David Syme became sole proprietor of the paper in 1891, and he built it up into Victoria's leading newspaper, soon overtaking its rivals The Herald and The Argus.
One substantial reason for its high level of daily sales was that The Sun News-Pictorial offered a free life-insurance policy to each of those who subscribed for regular daily home delivery of the newspaper (i.e., rather than those who bought it occasionally from street vendors or newsagents), and the insurance policy (valued at somewhere near 12 months' average wages) was current for the duration of that household's subscription.
[6] The Sun News-Pictorial ceased publication on 6 October 1990 and merged with sister evening newspaper The Herald to form the Herald-Sun, which contained columns and features from both of its predecessors.