The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser was the first newspaper printed in Australia, running from 5 March 1803 until 20 October 1842.

[1] It was a semi-official publication of the government of New South Wales, authorised by Governor Philip King and printed by George Howe.

[4] Australia's first printer also used the press to produce playbills for theatrical performances in Sydney in March and April 1800, and he also appeared as an actor in these plays.

The utility of a PAPER in the COLONY, as it must open a source of solid information, will we hope, be universally felt and acknowledged, We have courted the assistance of the INGENIOUS and INTELLIGENT :--- We open no channel to Political Discussion, or Personal Animadversion :--- Information is our only purpose; that accomplished, we shall consider that we have done our duty, in an exertion to merit the Approbation of the PUBLIC, and to secure a liberal Patronage to the Sydney Gazette.The newspaper's original editor, typesetter and printer was George Howe, who had been transported to New South Wales for shoplifting in 1800.

[9] Mansfield soon left the Gazette, and was replaced by a series of short-term editors including Edward O'Shaughnessy, George Thomas Graham and Horatio Wills, Robert Howe's apprentice and step-brother.

After Watt's banishment to Port Macquarie in 1835, ownership of the Gazette passed to Richard Jones, co-executor to Robert Howe's estate.

[2] For a long time the wood-cut depicted a female figure seated on a bale surrounded by the words, "Thus we hope to prosper".

The masthead (known as a nameplate in American English) last used the long s on the edition on Sunday 17 June 1804,[18] reading as:THE SYDNEY GAZETTE And New South Wales AdvertiſerThe next week's edition on the Sunday 24 June 1804[19] introduced a new masthead with the modern s, reading as:THE Sydney Gazette AND NEW SOUTH WALES ADVERTISERThe articles within the newspaper, however, continued to use the long s for just over eight more years with declining usage.

The apparent last edition that used the long s was on 27 June 1812,[20] reading as:ON SALE, at reduced Prices, for Ready Money, the valuable Inveſtment, imported per Brig Eagle, Captain McLardie; conſiſting of sugar by the bag; Souchong Tea by the cheſt, weight 82lbs; coarſe Calico by the bale; coarſe Gurrahs by the ditto; fine India Prints by the ditto; Bengal Boots and Shoes; beſt Dara Soap in hogſheads; Bourbon Coffee by the bag; and a Quantity of empty Gunny Bags.

Although subject of government censorship in its early years, it went on to be a typical newspaper of the period and contains much information about New South Wales in the first half of the 19th century available nowhere else.