35TH
MELBOURNE HIGHLAND GAMES
Visit Australia at Easter- Hear the bagpipes o the South (played upside down?)
G'Day all Descendants of the Scots, up there in the Northern half of the Globe
If you feel like a change from
the Northern Hemisphere, consider coming 'down under' to
Melbourne, Australia, for
Easter 2001 (14th -15th April) and visit one of the largest Scottish
events in the Southern Hemisphere.
That weekend, the 35th Annual
Ringwood Highland Games in Melbourne will have:-
a massed Band Spectacular
of over 1000 pipes and drums on parade.
This year we celebrate Nationally the Federation of Australia 100 years on.
The Australian Commonwealth
Pipe Band championships, and attended by many overseas pipe
bands.
The Australian Championships
Highland Dancing competitions (The Sword Dance, The Scottish
Lilt, The Highland Fling,
The Sailors Hornpipe and even the Irish jigs!), Scottish Country Dancing.,
to the music of jigs, reels
or Strathspeys. Heavy games and traditional tug-of-war, Tossing the
caber, The Scottish Hammer
Throw, and the Shot Put.all exhibiting the test of strength of the
Scots descendants and proof
of their inherent fitness and ability! 40 Scottish Clans and Societies
exhibiting (handing out Clan
Information plus a wee dramm, if you're lucky!), Heraldry, Genealogy.
The Grand parade set amongst
the Australian Gum Trees of the adjoining park, with the blue hills
of the Dandenong ranges beyond,
Stalls, food ( such as Scottish snowballs, and Irn Bru, Haggis,
slicing sausage, and mealy
puddings), Scottish goods, crafts, jewellery, clothing, music
Family picnics.
Scottish breeds of dogs and
Highland breeds of Cattle,
Mock Battles with the 'Varangian
Guards', creating an olde worlde atmosphere with their medieval
costumes and weapons, ready
for battle, with swords, pikes, axes and shields.
Haggis Hurling, great prizes.
Welly boot throwing, more great prizes.
Scottish flags, banners,
and colorful tartans plus (if you come a wee bit earlier) a Scottish Gala
Dinner on April 6th.
It will be Autumn down here
then and the weather should be just right. Accommodation is excellent
and of a wide range of options,
we speak 'Aussie' English, and we are fairly civilised! - Melbourne
has been cited on many occasions
as one of the most liveable Cities in the World (City Population
about 3.5 million). Its vast
array of International cuisine restaurants is impressive and the standards
are second to none. Our main
International airport has just been renovated once again, for greater
efficiency. We have one of
the best and biggest casinos outside of Vegas. A huge harbour, Top class
sporting facilities (including
more Big retractable roofed sports stadiums than most other Cities),
Wonderful Opera houses and
arts facilities. A modern World class Zoo, A brand new contemporary
Exhibition building, trams
down the main streets and out to the suburbs, Commuter trains and under-
ground rail systems,and pleasure
boats down the Yarra River. The longest urban underground motor
vehicle tunnel in the world
(just opened - and passes deep down and right under the City), Terrific
local Aussie Wines and picturesque
vineyards (and the beer is good too), plentiful supplies of Scotch,
Bourbon and Irish Whiskie.
plus many top class tourist attractions. Plus some of the most extensive
Genealogy facilities you will
find anywhere. Plus the weirdest array of native animals you will
find
in any country (God made the
Australian platypus last of all the animals, and used up all the bits and
pieces left over - it can
lay an egg, or, give birth to live offspring! - it looks part duck, part
beaver,
is furry and lives mainly
in underground tunnels or in the water!)
And the exchange rate is currently in your favour!
All you Scots descendants,
come South this year just for a change, see what it feels like to walk
upside down!.
Cheerio for now
Brian Boyd bboyd@melbpc.org.au
Melbourne, Victoria,
(down the bottom South East
corner of) Australia.