The Ringwood Highlands Games, held in Jubilee Park in Greenwood Avenue, is a national event that celebrates Scotland and Scottish heritage. Events included pipe bands and highland dancing competitions, as well as featuring gathering of the Scottish clans, attracting clans across Australia and internationally.
The festivities attracted large crowds from right across Melbourne and further afield, demonstrating the ongoing success of this well regarded community and cultural event.
The Ringwood Highlands Games is held annually and will next be held on Sunday the 30th of March in 2008. For further information please visit www.ringwoodhighlandgames.org.au.
Hello
The following email was returned as “no address” Would you please advise the correct person to contact
Hello Sue,
My husband, Jim Forsyth is the Clan Forsyth Commissioner for Australia.
The Clan was reconstituted 27 years ago, beginning in Scotland and not long after a branch in Sydney. A short time after that a branch was formed in Melbourne. Because of ill health of the committee the branch folded. Jim & I would like to try and start to revive the branch in the state where Jim was born. We do have an active group in Hamilton Vic.
We had the idea that the games at Ringwood would be a good point to start after the usual mail out to the phone book Forsyths.
We would like to know how the Clans are set up at Ringwood – e.g. tents, banners costs etc. and of course the all important question of insurance.
Any other information which you think we need to know about would be much appreciated.
Many thanks,
Judy & Jim Forsyth.
Hello Judy and Jim,
Thank you for your email, Sue MacLeod is the President of the Ringwood Highland Games and should be able to assist with your enquiry.
I have contacted Sue to notify her about your email so that she can assist in providing the information you require.
Thanks,
Alex
The web site for the 2008 Ringwood games is down, I cannot access any information yet.
Just thought you might not know.
Hello Carolyn,
Thank you for letting me know about the Ringwood Highland Games website being unavailable. The organisers are busy preparing for this year’s event and a new website should hopefully be available shortly.
Thanks,
Alex
Alex Makin and Sue MacLeod,
After attending the Highland Games in Maryborough VIC about 5 years ago and seeing some extremely interesting and competitive sports there, I was excited to invite my friends to attend the Ringwood Highland Games this year.
My friends and I attended the Games today, arriving at 10:30am and left at 3pm extremely disapointed that there seemed to be no games/sports other than dancing and bands there was not a lot to do, the flyers suggested otherwise.
We did have the opportunity to participate in Caber tossing and hammer throwing, although I had thought that we may see some professionals participating in the event themselves, considering that it is called “The Highland GAMES”
The people operating this event did not seem to know what they were doing and there was no one available to advise participants about how to use the Caber and Hammer properly.
Had I have known that it would be such a disappointment I would not have paid the $15 to get in and the $1 for the Programme, which appeared to me to be incorrect as not many of the Events were operated on time and some not at all, eg 12 noon – Haggis Hurling and Welly Boot Throwing.
Charmaine
Hello Charmaine,
Thank you for your feedback in regard to the Ringwood Highland Games. The event is conducted independently from council but does receive some assistance.
The Ringwood Highland Games did have a website but it appears that the site is currently unavailable. I will discuss your comments with Sue McLeod so that she is aware of your feedback.
Thanks,
Alex
I, like many others visited the wonderful Ringwood Highland Games 2008, from interstate, and was delighted by the atmosphere and activities. Albeit at little braw!
As this event has been in existance over 40 years, spreading the good name of Ringwood far and wide, I find it extraordinary that it should be forced to be held next year on the same day as Bundanoon, the other biggest Highland Gathering in Australia – all for the excuse of a sports match, which ropes off the oval even when they are not there, from this Community event. What reason justifies the decimation of your crowds of attendees and the good name of the Ringwood Highland Games?
Hello Malcolm,
Thank you for your comments and for being a regular attendee to the Ringwood Highland Games. Unfortunately the current dates of the Ringwood Highland Games clashes with the final week of the Cricket Season, thus denying the Ringwood Cricket Club access to Jubilee Park.
While Council made the decision to provide the Cricket Club with access to the grounds, I have offered my support to Sue MacLeod and the organisers of the Ringwood Highland Games to assist in finding another site within Ringwood for the event.
I have regularly attended the Highland Games both before being on council and since I have been elected and I certainly support retaining the Highland Games within Maroondah at a date that does not clash with other events.
The clash that occurs next year with Bundanoon should be a temporary measure while another location is found.
Thanks,
Alex