The Melbourne Highland Games & Celtic Festival is a gathering in the tradition of the Highland games held in Scotland and other countries to celebrate Scottish and Celtic culture and heritage. In their original form many centuries ago, Highland games revolved around athletic and sports competitions. Through these competitions the finest athletes were identified. The games were also a way for the clans to demonstrate their relative strength to each other without actually having to go to war. The bagpipe symbolises music at our Games and, indeed, in Scotland itself. In addition to the massed bands, our gatherings feature a wide range of piping and drumming competition, including solo piping and drumming, small group ensembles and, of course, the pipe bands themselves. ...

About Brigadoon Welcome to the Bundanoon Highland Gathering, the “Premier” Scottish Gathering in Australia. This annual event began on 21 October 1978, its principal aim to raise funds for local charities and bring tourists to Bundanoon in particular and the Southern Highlands in general thereby benefiting local businesses, guesthouses and hotels. Continuing to this day, “Bundanoon is Brigadoon” has become one of the most successful events staged in the area. From its humble beginnings of a handful of pipe bands and spectators, and is recognised worldwide and has grown to into one of the finest Highland Gatherings in Australia Brigadoon is a non-profit registered charity, we do not make a profit in the business sense of the word. After taking into consideration all our costs and appropriating a management budget for the coming year, we distribute the Surplus Pool to the large number of volunteer, charity and community groups in the Southern Highlands that assist us in preparation and presentation of the gathering”. ...