Yar Loong has joined the imperial dragons at the Bendigo Advertiser Gala Parade to welcome the new dragon Dai Gum Loong.
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The colourful night dragon, who is more than 80 years old, is made out of gauze and other delicate materials.
Although he is smaller and lighter than the imperial dragons Loong, Sun Loong and Dai Gum Loong, he held his own at this year's parade.
The 34-metre-long dragon was carried by 22 men as he paraded down the city streets to the delight of the crowds.
Like the other large dragons, Yar Loong met the new dragon Dai Gum Loong at the heart of the parade near the Alexandra Fountain.
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They performed the ceremonial bows to each other before he made his way down Pall Mall.
Yar Long, who last appeared at the Easter festival in 2012, was the first of the dragons to be returned home to the Golden Dragon Museum.
Bendigo's night dragon had an interesting start to his time in the city.
He was badly damaged early in his career in 1939 when a series of firecrackers damaged the dragon's delicate material.
He was found in a box in the 1970s and was restored in 1996, thanks to the generous donations of the Men's Club of Kangaroo Flat.
Yar Long returned to the performance space in December 1996 when he appeared at the opening of the Classical Chinese Gardens. He has reappeared on several occasions since.
His last appearance was in 2017, when he performed at Melbourne Airport to celebrate the new Virgin Airline flights to Hong Kong.
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Tara Cosoleto
Journalist covering courts and general news at the Bendigo Advertiser.
Journalist covering courts and general news at the Bendigo Advertiser.
