The press in Australia

Emigration from Wales to Australia increased at the beginning of the second half of the 19th century, and Welsh-speaking communities grew in the states of Victoria and New South Wales.

Australian Welsh periodicals

There were estimated to be over 2000 Welsh people living in Ballarat and Sebastopol in 1858. Seven years later, in 1865, Yr Ymgeisydd [The Endeavourer] Australia's first Welsh periodical, appeared; as far as is known only 1 issue was published. Another attempt to found a Welsh publication was made in May 1866 with the appearance of Yr Australydd [The Australian], edited by William Meirion Evans. He was a native of Caernarfonshire and a minister, who also worked in the copper and gold mines of South Australia. Yr Australydd ended in 1872 but in October 1874, Yr Ymwelydd [The Visitor] was established as a monthly newspaper, also edited by W M Evans. This continued to appear until December 1876.