AustLit

The Star, and Working Man's Guardian mirrored the Parramatta Chronicle, and Cumberland General Advertiser and much of its content was identical to that of the Chronicle. Both newspapers were published on a Saturday morning and extended to four pages per issue. While the Chronicle appeared in a four-column format, the Star was set out in three columns and was slightly smaller in size. As a result, the Star omitted some of the Parramatta Chronicle's copy, particularly its advertising.

The Star's declared purpose was to 'uphold the rights' and 're-dress the wrongs' of the working man. It published the Parramatta Chronicle's early editorials, lending support to women's rights and advocating the education of women.

The news sections of the Star were virtually identical to those of the Parramatta Chronicle. Weekly issues featured local Sydney news as well as regional news from the 'Interior'. The 'Interior' comprised settlements such as Maitland, the Lower Murrumbidgee, Bathurst, Goulburn and Queanbeyan. Reports were also included from colonial settlements in Port Phillip, Van Diemen's Land, Swan River and South Australia. Depending on the arrival of ships, international news was provided from Ireland, the USA, New Zealand, India and Tahiti. Most issues included some news from England.

Colonial news content focused heavily on crime and accidents. Significant space was given over to reports of violent crime, insolvencies, suicides, illicit stills and crimes perpetrated by the Indigenous populations of, in particular, the Port Phillip district. Typical crime headlines were 'Murders by the Blacks', 'A Horrid Murder' and 'Wicked Villainy'. Many issues included reports from the Parramatta Quarter Sessions and the Central Criminal Court. News items about accidental deaths from drowning and burns were also prominent.

The Star published some poetry by colonial and British authors, but literature was not an important feature in the newspaper's pages. Regular column space was devoted to shipping arrivals and departures, shipping accidents and shipwrecks, race meetings and sporting activities, recipients of tickets-of-leave, impoundings, and births, deaths and marriages.

The Cumberland Times, and Western Advertiser, previously the Parramatta Chronicle, and Cumberland General Advertiser, continued the general themes and editorial policy of its predecessor.

The weekly issues featured news from Parramatta and Liverpool and from other parts of New South Wales. Regional areas were referred to as 'The Interior' and included Maitland, the Lower Murrumbidgee, Bathurst, Goulburn and Queanbeyan. Reports were also included from colonial settlements in Port Phillip, Van Diemen's Land, Swan River and South Australia. Depending on the arrival of ships, international news was provided from Ireland, the USA, New Zealand, India and Tahiti. Most issues included some news from England.

Colonial news focused heavily on crime and accidents. Significant space was given over to reports of violent crime, insolvencies, suicides, illicit stills and crimes perpetrated by the Indigenous populations of, in particular, the Port Phillip district. Typical crime headlines were 'Murders by the Blacks', 'A Horrid Murder' and 'Wicked Villainy'. Many issues included reports from the Parramatta Quarter Sessions, the Windsor Police Court and the Central Criminal Court. News items about accidental deaths from drowning and burns were also prominent.

Dominant local issues included the standard of the Female Factory at Parramatta, the debates of the Legislative Council and news from the various churches. The latter incorporated the construction and opening of a Jewish synagogue in Sydney and early Wesleyan moves towards providing European-style education for local Indigenous peoples.

The Cumberland Times, and Western Advertiser published some poetry by colonial and British authors, but literature was not an important feature in the newspaper's pages. Regular column space was devoted to shipping arrivals and departures, shipping accidents and shipwrecks, race meetings and sporting activities, recipients of tickets-of-leave, impoundings, and births, deaths and marriages.

The newspaper also ran advertisements for local providers of goods and services and 'wanted' ads for those seeking household help or offering their labour. Among the advertisements were notices for theatrical performances, the publication of almanacs and an announcement, from Edmund Mason (q.v.) of the establishment of a library service for Parramatta.