Our2023Gatheringwas atremendoussuccess.
Thankyoutoeveryoneinvolved, especiallythosewhocametowatch thisgreatspectacle.
Ifyoudidn’tmanagealonghavea lookinsidetoseehowitwent.
Wehopeyoucanjoin usnexttime.
April6th 2024
It’staken5attemptstoholdour43rdgathering Brigadoon,beatenbyCovid19fortwoyearsandin 2022defeatedbythehorrendousweather,butonce againoldmothernaturehadthelastsay,itrained,just afineScotchmist,butheavyenoughtobe uncomfortable.MotherNaturemayhavetriedbut nothingwasgoingtostopBrigadoonfromgoingahead as11000visitorsparticipatedinawonderfuldayto celebrateallthingsScottish.
TheChieftainofthedaywasTheRt.Honourablethe 15thEarlofLoudoun(thehonourableSimonAbneyHastings)SimonAbney-HastingsisanAustralianEarl
whoisthecurrent holderofoneof theoldestScottish nobletitles,Earlof Loudoun.Earlof Loudounisnamed afterLoudounin AyrshireScotland. TheCampbell’sof Loudounarethe oldestbranchof thehouseofArgyll. TheEarldomwas
originallygrantedtothe1stEarlofLoudoun,John Campbell–LordChancellorofScotland,byKing Charles1stin1633andhassincepasseddownto SimonAbney-Hastingsthoughthelawsofsuccession whenhisFatherMichael,thepreviousEarlofLoudoun passedin2012.TheTitleisoneoftheoldestScottish nobletitlesanditcarrieswithittherighttocarrythe GoldenSpurs(theemblemsofknighthoodand chivalry)attheCoronationofaBritishMonarch.
OurspecialguestforthedaywasHisExcellency GeneraltheHonourable
DavidHurleyACDSC(Retd)
Governor-Generalofthe
CommonwealthofAustralia accompaniedbyhiswife
HerExcellencyMrsLinda
Hurley.Theyenjoyed
Brigadoonsomuchin2019
(whentheywereChieftain)thattheycouldn’tresist returningtoenjoyanotherdayofBrigadoon
TheStreetParadewassighttobeholdwith1000 participants,startingat9.15amandfeatured28Pipe Bands,withsomejoiningthemoreexperiencedpipe bandstogainconfidenceandself-esteemandthey werewonderful.WehadthreenewlyformedPipe Bandsparticipating,ourownBundanoonPipeBand, PresbyterianLadies'CollegePipesandDrums,Sydney, andGranvilleBoysHighSchoolPipeBand,Sydney, (Photoattached)Itwasawonderfulexperienceforallof themaccompaniedbydecoratedchildren'sfloatsand marchingClans
At10.00am,theChieftainoftheDayofficiallyopened thegathering.Duringtheopeningceremony,spectators aretreatedtoamassedpipesanddrumsdisplaywith 550bandsmenandwomenparticipating.Thesheer magicofthismomentwithtraditionalScottishmusic andtheswirlingofamyriadofcolouredtartanshasto beexperiencedtobebelieved.
Asusualwehadallourfavouriteevents,Games, ScottishCountryDancing(youcanevenjoinintothe DashingWhiteSergeant)ScottishHighlandDancing (JoyReiherSchoolofHighlandDance)Southern HighlandsKennelandObedienceClub,BonnieBairns andofcourseourFiddlersTentaverycomprehensive andenjoyablelistofevents,somethingforeveryone.A familyfriendlyfundayout.
TheClansattendingwereClansattendingBrigadoon 2023;
ClanDonald,ClanBuchanan,ClanHenderson,Clan MacNeil,ClanCameron,ClanDavidson,ClanMalcolm, ClanYoung,ClanFarquharson,ClanMacEwan,Clan Edmonstone,ClanGregor,ClanCampbell(15thEarlof Loudoun),ClanFletcher,ClanMacLennan,Clan MacCallum,ClanMaclean,ClanHopeandClan Sutherland(photographattached)
ThePipebandsperformedindividuallythroughout thedayat3locationssituatedaroundtheovalforthe entertainmentofthepublic.Thisisatimewhenthe pipebandscangooutandlettheirhairdownandplay toentertainwithouthavingtocomplytocompetition rules.
TheKiltedWarriorswereliftingtheBundanoon Stones.ModelledontheMacGlashenStones.The stonesusedforthecurrentcompetitionare115kgs, 120kgs,125kgs,140kgsand165kgs.Thestonesarelaid
outfivemetresapartlightesttoheaviestwitheach competitorhavingtoliftallfivestonesontopofa woodenbarrelfourfeetinheight.Thepersonwhocan liftallfivestonesontopofthebarrelsinthefastesttime isdeclaredthechampionoftheday.
Thehistoryofthestonesgoesbackoveronethousand yearstothehighlandsofScotlandwhenaboywas consideredtohavereachedmanhoodwhenhecould lifttwostoneinweightfromthebaregroundontothe topofastonedykeorfenceasweknowit.Mostvillages tookpartinthisexerciseandthestonesvariedfrom villagetovillage.Inthelate1970’stheliftingofthe stoneswasbroughtbacktolifeinScotlandwiththe introductionoftheMacGlashsenStones.
BundanoonStonesResults2023
1stSeanGillen-BrigadoonChampion
2ndTylerHelm
3rdAndrewFraser
4thMacauleyTinker
AustralianHighlandHeavyWeightChampionships involvedanoutstandingfieldofheavyweight competitors.EventsincludedtheCaber,StonePutt, WeightforHeight,WeightforDistanceandHammer throw-fiveeventsfiercelycontestedtoproducejust oneoverallchampion.
AustralianHighlandHeavyweightChampionshipresults
1stTerrySparkes-BrigadoonChampion
2ndMacauleyTinker
Joint3rdKurtLivens&LanceHolland-Keen
5thJamieMuscat
Theclosingceremonyisreallyquitespectacularlasting about30minutes(arealminitattoo)withthefinaleof theLonePiperandtheChieftainclosingthegathering foranotheryear,Brigadoonthenfadesbackintothe mistsreadytoreappearon6April2024.
Bundanoonisacomfortable2hourdrivefrom SydneyandCanberraandtheSouthCoast,which makesittheideallocationfortravellerswhojustwant topopinforthedayorforotherswhowishtostayand enjoy“Brigadoon”andthehospitalityandcultureof theSouthernHighlands.Withsuchaninfluxofpeople comingintothearea,localbusinessesandthe hospitalitytradeinparticularhavethrivedtothepoint wherethereishardlyaroomavailableandinmost casesallaccommodationisbookedayearinadvance.
TheBundanoonHighlandGatheringisanon-forprofitregisteredcharity.Onceallourcostsaretaken intoconsiderationandafterappropriatinga
managementbudgetforthefollowingyearallsurplus moniesaredistributedbackintothelocalcommunity coffers.Thecommitteeensuresthatitrecognisesthe commitmentofthoselocalvolunteerandcharities groupswhogivecountlesshoursoflabourtothe gatheringbydisbursingmoniesraisedonthedayona proportionalbasistoeachorganisation.
TodateBrigadoonhasdisbursedabout$1.4million backintothelocalcommunity.
Ourvolunteersneverceasetoamazeme,wearefull ofpraiseforouralltheveryhardworking,conscientious anddedicatedvolunteerswhoperseveredtoensure thatBrigadoonwasonceagainanoutstandingsuccess. It’swonderfulthatsome30plusorganisationscanget togetherandensureasuccessfuldayishadandthat visitorsaremadesowelcome.
