‘Saddened and stressed’: Long-running Geelong Highland Gathering permanently cancelled

The Geelong Highland Gathering has been permanently cancelled after 165 years. This is why.

The Geelong Highland Gathering has been permanently cancelled after new committee members were unable to be found. Picture: Nathan Dyer

One of Geelong’s oldest events has been permanently cancelled after “new blood” for its committee was unable to be found.

The Geelong Highland Gathering was first held in 1857, and attracted thousands of people annually.

It became the second largest event of its kind in Australia before losing its home of more than 50 years, Queens Park in Newtown, in 2011.

Following this, the event was held at various locations around Geelong including Fyansford, the Geelong Showgrounds, Deakin University, Goldsworthy Reserve in Corio and, in 2019, at Osborne Park in North Geelong.

The Covid-19 pandemic meant the event was not held in 2020, 2021, or 2022.

The Geelong Highland Gathering was cancelled after no nominations for office bearers were received. Picture: Glenn Ferguson

At a special meeting following its annual general meeting, it was decided to bring the gathering to an end when there were no nominations for office bearers.

Geelong Highland Gathering Association (GHGA) former chair and chieftain Dr Maurice Marshall said for several years they had been trying to attract young people.

The majority of the committee members were in their 60s and 70s.

He said the association wanted young people to take on committee positions to ensure the Gathering’s future “to no avail”.

Dr Marshall said he was “saddened and stressed” by the loss of the gathering. Highland dancer, Sharon Plover from Ballarat at the 2017 event. Picture: Cormac Hanrahan

“I am saddened and stressed by the loss, but privileged to have been part of the gathering and at home in Geelong,” Dr Marshall said.

“It has been a wonderful major event for Geelong over so many years, reminding us of the major influence of Scottish migrants including James Harrison, the inventor of refrigeration and founder of the Geelong Advertiser, the Rev Andrew Love, the region’s first Presbyterian minister and Alexander Thomson, first mayor of Geelong.”

Major attractions of the gathering included the Victorian Pipe Band Championships, South Pacific Highland Games Championships, Highland dancing competitions, Scottish country dancing displays, folk music, clan and heritage groups, the 42nd Highland Regiment and Varangian Guard historic re-enactment group, Scottish market and the Highland cattle display.

The original gathering ran from 1857 to 1929 when it became a victim of the Great Depression.

In 1957, Newtown City Council resurrected it when it sought a major event for Queens Park.

The council ran it until the municipal amalgamation in 1993, when the City of Greater Geelong took over before passing it on to the newly formed GHGA in 1995.

Originally published as ‘Saddened and stressed’: Long-running Geelong Highland Gathering permanently cancelled