The Avondale Advance and Blockhouse Bay Beacon began in August 1953 as a monthly tabloid newspaper distributed in its named suburbs and Waterview. It was established by G. Y. Birch through his company Lynndale Publishers Ltd of Auckland.

Birch switched printers several times over the years, from Artcraft Press Ltd of Dominion Road, to Watson’s Printing House Ltd of Khyber Pass Road, to Penrose Printing & Publishing Company of Panmure. Lyndale Press Ltd of New Lynn finally took over both printing and publishing the newspaper in January 1957. The next month, publishing was spun-off under a subsidiary, District Newspapers Ltd. Throughout its nine years in print, the Advance never expanded its distribution area and retained its monthly format. After its final issue in August 1962, it was merged with the New Lynn News to become the Western Suburbs News.