However, despite being only 16 and a self-confessed “beginner”, he isn’t there to compete.

Rhys has been invited as one of only a handful of professional street performers to showcase their skills as a sideshow to the competition.

The hunger for performing started as a little kid.

“I always wanted to busk on the street and make some money,” he said.

“I started by playing harmonica – which may not have been as fun for those listening as it was for me performing.

“Then I played drums in a friend’s band at the Candelo festival.

“When I finally learned a skill,” he added with a laugh, “I learned magic and juggling and worked on the street.”

He said he picked up tips from professionals while travelling with his-new-found skills and developed it into a show.

“It just grew from there,” he said.

Grow it did, with appearances at the National Folk Festival, Woodford Folk Festival, Coffs Harbour International Buskers Festival and the renowned Spiegeltent.

Rhys has also just returned from the Adelaide Fringe Festival.

The art of street performing is to keep a wandering crowd entertained – but you have to attract them first.

“It’s a tough one, especially like at the Adelaide Fringe when there are 10 other street performers working,” Rhys said.

“You really have to do something different to attract the crowds.”

For Rhys, that point of difference he says is his age – “and the fact I juggle chainsaws”!

However, the difficulty of juggling a revving piece of machinery designed to cut through wood is almost nothing compared to the difficulty of trying to take one on a plane to the next gig!

“Of course you can’t take chainsaws on planes,” Rhys said.

“I’m getting one made for me that is waiting for me when I get to Queensland.

“The Space Cowboy gave me one in Adelaide and he’s making me another one I will buy when I get there.”

While the wisdom of using a chainsaw made by someone called the Space Cowboy could be questioned, the crowds in Surfers are sure to love the Bega-based Trickster as he performs seven shows over four days this Easter.

While there, Rhys is also looking forward to seeing plenty of the other street artists do their thing.

“I consider myself very much a beginner, so to see others who have been doing it for 15 years or so is awesome.”