The Illustrated Australian Magazine apologises to its readers for the delay in publication of the October issue - the magazine's full complement of compositors and pressmen decided to join the gold rush, or the 'diggins', at Ballarat. In frustration, the editor finally decides there is nothing else for it but to join the rush himself. He promises not to abandon his readers but to return with a 'full, true and particular account of what we saw and did at the Diggins, together with Illustrations and a description of the country in the neighbourhood of Ballarat'.