An 'eccentric' paper edited for the unwelcome aliens

A study of the earliest Australian Chinese newspaper, The Chinese Advertiser

Yewang Wang and Jula Ryder
yewangw@caval.edu.au

This article argues that The Chinese Advertiser began on 19 April 1856, several months earlier than the date accepted since 1887. New evidence shows that in May 1856 the paper was already in circulation, and is thus the earliest Australian Chinese newspaper. The printing methods of the paper, previously thought to be only lithography or woodblock, also included cast pieces, letterpress and wooden type. The newspaper is probably the first Chinese newspaper printed by lithography, possibly the first bilingual newspaper with Chinese in the world, and is the earliest remaining Australian Chinese printing.