celtictraditions.com.au

The 51st Geelong highland Gathering, on sunday, March 16, 2008, will re-introduce Scottish Heavy games, including caber tossing which have been absent for four years due to public liability insurance difficulties.

The Victorian Pipe Band Championships will be held as a feature of this gathering, first held on the plains of South Geelong in 1857.

The gathering went into recess during thr depression years then was revived by the then Newtown City Council in 1957 and since then has been held continuously at Queens Park, often referred to as “The Braemar of Australia”

This has now grown to be the biggest and most diverse celebration of Scottish culture in Victoria and one of the major Scottish events in Australia, attracting interstate and sometimes overseas pipe bands.

 This gathering, from 9.30am to 5.30pm attracts upwards of around 6000 people each year.

Scottish historic military re-enactment groups, massed pipe band displays, Highland Dancing competitions, Scottish country dancing displays, a Celtic market, Scottish Folk Music,Scottish dogs, horses and Highland Cattle all form the traditional mix.

Added to this there will be clan and other cultural and genealogical displays, wood chop events, archery, children’s games and a children’s farmyard.

ENTRY

Adults $12

Concession $10

 Family $30

Under 16 years $5

Under 5 years Free

Find more information on the Highland Gathering at

www.geelonghighlandgathering.org.au

Using a full set of Strathmore Bagpipes at the Argyllshire Gathering, Richard Hawke won the Piobaireachd Gold Medal.

Also using a full set of Strathmores, Faye Henderson won the MacGregor Memorial Piobaireachd.  

at the Combined Scottish Societies of NSW Solo Piping Championships held at Ryde on Sunday 26th August 2007

Rodrick Parker, using a Strathmore Blackwood Pipe Chanter achieved First place in the Open Piobaireachd competition and third in the Open Air Competition.

Celtic Traditions passes on congratulations to Rod on his success.

Murray Henderson has met with more succes this year. Playing a full set of Strathmore #5 Bagpipes, Murray has won the Masters event at the Piping Centre in Glasgow.

Greg Wilson from New Zealand, using a Strathmore chanter, ran second to Murray in the piobroch.

Richard Hawke placed 3rd in the Juvenile Section of the World Pipe Band Championships with his band, St Andres College Pipe Band, using Strathmore Polypenco Pipe Chanters .

Truly great results using Strathmore.

16 Pipe Bands competed at the fifth annual Moss Vale Pipe Band Competition. Conditions were somewhat overcast with some light rain throughout the day. This did not however deter the competitors at all.

RESULTS

Grade 4  10 bands competed

1st  Manly/Warringah

2nd  Scots College No1

3rd  Canberra Burns Club No2

Grade 3 8 bands competed

1st  City of Bankstown No1

2nd United mineworkers

3rd  City of Blacktown No2

Grade 2  3 bands competed

1st  St Marys Band Club

2nd  Canberra Burns Club No1

3rd  United mineworkers

Members of The Highlands Pipes and Drums mety with some success at the recent piping and drumming competition held at Moss Vale in the Southern Highlands on 25th February 2007.

PIPING

Laura Lee  two firsts and a second

Karen Webb A second

Chris Tabram qualified for the final in his grade

DRUMMING

James White two firsts in side drumming

2006 was a particularly successful year in competition for Strathmore, justifying Murray Henderson’s strong desire for quality.

Murray himself won the Clasp at The Northern Meeting, using a full set of Strathmore Bagppipes.

Angus MacColl, using a Strathmore chanter won the 2006 Glenfiddich Championship.

Greg Wilson, using a Strathmore chanter won the Oban Gold medal and was  runner-up in the 2006 Glenfiddich Championship .

Richard Hawke using a Strathmore Chanter won the Dunvegan Gold Medal.

Celtic Traditions has sold a number of sets of Strathmore Bagpipes over the past year and will continue to specialise in this brand because of the quality and value in which Murray Henderson places so much store.  Give us a call and ask for more information on these superb bagpipes.

Rob on 0414429071   

The 2006 winner of the Mittagong Lions Club Citizen Of The Year is James White.

James is the current Drum sergeant with The Highlands Pipes and Drums and was appointed to that position following the band’s trip to Scotland to compete in the World Pipe Band Championships in August 2006.

James is a student at the Bowral High School.