and it had everything from benevol

ent fairies sprinkling magic dust to

manic grandmothers on scooters.

It was Bendigo's annual Easter

gala parade and, from all reports, it

was an enormously successful and

colourful event.

Royalty made an appearance _

Prince Charles and his mother

(after whom Bendigo's premier

sports field is named) _ were seen

driving about in a three-wheeler,

and the usually elusive Easter

Bunny was spotted by many.

The parade was a fitting end to

Bendigo's biggest ever Easter Fes

tival.

More than 80,000 people lined the

streets yesterday to watch the

passing carnival. There was plenty

to see _ everything from a re-

enactment of the pugilistic career

of `Bendigo' Thompson to an ani

mate display of Bendigo's Charing

Cross fountain, complete with

come-to-life statues suffering under

a sticky second-skin of plaster of

Paris.

But for all the entertainment, the

baton twirlers, singers, dancers,

musicians and open-heart surgeons

on display, the loudest applause

was reserved for a sleepy giant

dragon who only wakes up once a

year.

Sun Loong, awakened by a speci

al ceremony on Sunday, weaved his

way through the streets of Bendigo,

admired by all.

Yesterday's parade was, by and

large, a humorous and spirited

affair, but there were also elements

of serious sentiment expressed.

Messages of peace and tolerance

were prominent, reflecting the un

certain world political climate.

The theme of this year's parade

was Bendigo: our golden past and

golden future, and each float in

some way exhibited a sense of pride

in central Victoria, its people, and

their achievements.

Heathcote Primary School cele

brated its sesquicentenary, as did

this newspaper, while the Clan

McLeod Pipe Band celebrated its

50th anniversary.