The pages of the Loxton clarion are a fascinating chronicle of a slice of South Australia's rural population in the late 1920s. Life in the numerous settlements is recorded through columns such as 'Paruna paragraphs', 'Nadda news' and 'Mindarie musings'. From 1927 the building of Lock 4 on the River Murray was not only a local connection with larger events, but also saw the development of a small temporary township for the workmen and their families - who naturally formed yet another local football team! As well as sport and church life, the locals attended euchre parties, the Veitch Literary Society, and the concerts of the Loxton orchestra and student orchestra - both conducted by Jack Irving. There were visits from travelling vaudeville shows such as the Joybells pierrots in January 1927 and the Fredo Brothers tumbling violinists with their monkey orchestra in March 1928. These were also the years of silent films, with Mary Pickford, Jacky Coogan and Cecil B DeMille's Ten commandments screening at the Loxton cinema.

Large advertisements for motor cars show both the wealth of the new manufacturing companies, as well as the demise of the horse in country areas. If the Riverland farmers and tradespeople did not all own Dodge, Buick, Pontiac, Chrysler and Ford tourers or trucks, and Case tractors, it was not for want of advertising on the part of the manufacturers! These were also the years of aviation expansion and a poem about Australia's foremost test pilot of the time, 'Bert Hinkler - he'll do me' by 'Whisker', no doubt captured the opinion of the general populace (15 March 1928, p. 6). Despite the progress in transport, riverboats still plied the water and were cause for excitement (28 July 1926, p. 5). Major events such as the local agricultural were given detailed coverage in the newspaper. The building of a new Lutheran church in December 1925 and the opening of the Loxton Hospital in August 1926 both warranted long articles, complete with illustrations. From 1925 to 1926 'Uncle Don' conducted a 'Children's corner' column, which included occasional works from budding local writers, such as Marjorie Loughhead's 'Peggy and the pixies' (12 November 1925, p. [10]). Syndicated articles and stories by English writers such as Peter Ellis and Lyddon Surrage also appeared.