The eagerly-anticipated Guardian Australia led by editor-in-chief Katharine Viner has this morning launched with the digital edition.

The cyber newsroom leads with an interactive feature going into detail about the January bushfires in Tasmania with the striking imagery of the Holmes family clinging to a jetty, submerged in the waters.

Add to this an exclusive video interview between prime minster Julia Gillard and Guardian Australia political editor Lenore Taylor, and Australian readers are due for a fresh perspective on Australian and world news with the site offering an ‘open and unique’ approach to digital storytelling.

“The Guardian has a long established tradition of high-quality, independent journalism combining editorial integrity and journalistic innovation,” says Viner. “We already have a large and loyal Australian readership, who tell us they want more of what we do.”

“Our research indicates that Australians are looking for an alternative that is truly independent, both global and local, which offers serious reporting and lively commentary, and is all-embracing in its use of everything that the digital sphere has to offer,” she adds.