Sydney Scottish Week
Difficult to know where to start. First of all the weather in Sydney has been abnormal. It has been very wet and cool, so there have been no opportunities to enjoy the wonderful beaches and soak up the sun.
Sydney Scottish heritage week comprised of a lot of activities, which took place all around Sydney. The main objective of the week’s activities is to raise awareness of Scottish culture. So with the help of local pipe bands, an assortment of banners, armigers and a loyal following of kilted supporters, selected districts of the City were visited.
The Scots were instrumental in the early development of Sydney, and to honour that, a special cairn, built with the stones from every parish in Scotland, was erected in Mosman back in 1988. Every year since then, the cairn is inspected. This year was no exception, and a small service and reception was held in our honour. The setting, helped by the overcast weather had a distinctive Scottish feel…apart from the kookubarras…whose plumage and incessant chattering added that distinctly Australian flavour. However, the Parade in Manly amongst the surfers, really was surreal. It has to be one of the most incongruous settings in which to wear a kilt and promote Scottish culture.
The highlight, of the week was the Ball, which was well attended. I was really impressed by the willingness of everyone to take part in the dancing, and I take my hat of to the Caller who managed to get everyone moving in the right direction and setting to the right partner…no mean achievement with a bunch of aussies! But the really odd moment of the evening came when Malcolm, the Earl of Dunmore, and myself were given the task of selecting the best dressed lady, and our wives were given the task to select the best dressed man. We did this, without conferring, and managed to pick a married couple from Falkirk!
Another, highlight was a visit to Scone, some 200kms north of Sydney, where I was asked to launch a Country Educational Fund, which is supported by the Scottish Heritage Council. The fund helps financially disadvantaged pupils to go on to tertiary education. As part of the proceedings I was asked to cut a cake, and was given a dirk to do so. On closer examination, I found myself holding the dirk that had been worn by George 1V during his royal visit to Edinburgh in 1822. This has to be an amazing omen, as I have often referred to the 1822 pageant as a marker by which the Gathering should be measured. From there we went on to stay at the famous Beltrees estate, named after a Sempill family estate in Renfrewshire and originally founded by one of my distant forebears in 1830…sadly, this magnificent estate was only in Sempill hands for a few years, before being taken over by the White Family, who still manage it today.
Finally, on a trip to the Southern Highlands, I came across the Scottish Arms, a brand new tavern in the town of Bowral, built and run by the Family Robertson. Unashamedly Scottish in décor, it deserves a special accolade, for this is exactly, the type of venue which keeps awareness of our heritage alive and well every day of the year. So to Peter Robertson, his family and George Keith, the brick layer from Peterhead, who laid every brick……..good on you !
