Bert joined the Bendigo Advertiser in January 1900, and this is his first ‘Easter Fair’ feature story. Now, for ‘non Bendigonians’ this was a very big carnival held each year in aid of the hospital and ‘asylum’ as it was called. The fair started in 1871 and is still a big deal today. The mainstay of the carnival is the Monday procession with a very big Chinese presence going back to the 1870s. If interested – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLRIiZrBw40&t=25s

If you have time to read this through to the end, I highly recommend it. It was this article that alerted me to the talent of the writer (Bert) in the first place. This theme of the ‘downside of life on the stage’, became an enduring theme throughout his journalistic career.