General News
15 April, 2024
Championships’ return to Maryborough a success
Sixty-three years after the inaugural event was held in Maryborough on New Year’s Day, The Australia Pipe Band Championships returned to Princes Park in a celebration of Scottish music and culture. Hundreds of locals greeted the sounds of pipes...
Sixty-three years after the inaugural event was held in Maryborough on New Year’s Day, The Australia Pipe Band Championships returned to Princes Park in a celebration of Scottish music and culture.
Hundreds of locals greeted the sounds of pipes and drums on Saturday morning with a street parade along High Street led by bands who participated in the 1961 championships.
The parade kicked off the festivities which also included highland dancing, strong men and women events and the Girl on the Drum spectacular.
Pipe Bands Victoria chair Karen Wallace said the championships were a spectacle to behold.
“The day was absolutely fabulous, we had a wonderful day celebrating Scottish heritage and culture and coming back to the home of the first championships was truly outstanding,” she said.
“There was great disappointment that we weren’t able to come in 2020 when the championships got cancelled, so it was extra special to be able to return.
“To see everyone come together after two years to play music and travel so far to come to these championships was wonderful.”
Around 700 pipers and drummers from bands across Australia took part in Saturday’s championships, including one band travelling all the way from Singapore.
A contingent of around 14 members of Singapore’s Lion City Pipe Band competed on Saturday, in what the band’s Wey Shi described as an opportunity to build the international pipe band community.
“There are around 14 of us who came over to compete, we were hoping for more — this size is around three quarters of our usual size, but I am quite glad the group we have were able to make the time for this,” he said.
“One of the special things about being in a pipe band is there’s a community and bringing bands on overseas trips is a great way to add to that community.
“We have been competing quite a bit regionally in Singapore and Malaysia, at the end of the day I want to bring the band further and hopefully one day we’ll be able to compete in Scotland.”
The band was among those scheduled to take part in the Australian Pipe Band Championships here in Maryborough in 2020, however the COVID-19 pandemic put an end to those plans.
“Here we are today, four years later, with a relatively young but committed group,” Wey Shi said.
“I’m very thankful for the organisers of the event, the experience is invaluable.
“Everyone has been really friendly, the Maryborough and District Highland Pipe Band actually let us use their facilities which we’re very appreciative of.
“Everyone here has been very supportive which is great and Maryborough is a pleasant place, it’s sunny and warm and the community is very friendly.”
Ms Wallace echoed Wey Shi’s thoughts, thanking the Maryborough community for making the event so special.
“It was the most amazing community partnership between ourselves and the Maryborough community in its entirety,” she said.
“A highlight for me was the relationship I had with the Maryborough Highland Society — they were so generous, their support of the event was tremendous and I hope to continue to have this relationship.
“I personally really enjoyed meeting people from Maryborough on the street parade and at Princes Park, their welcome was extraordinary and the memories from this will stay with me forever.”
