St. Andrew’s Queensland wins 120th Maclean Highland Gathering

Maclean, NSW, Australia—April 18-19, 2025—Clear skies and about 27 degrees greeted competitors and spectators over both days of the 120th annual Maclean Highland Gathering at the Maclean Showground. St. Andrew’s (Queensland) won the Grade 2 band contest overall, and Andrew Roach won the Gold Medal in the A-Grade Solo Piping.

For the first time, the winners were awarded the Pipe-Major Sandy Campbell Banner in honour of the Australian piping and drumming leader, who passed away last year at the age of 94.

The event is by far the longest-running Highland games in Australia. Stuart Liddell of Inveraray, Scotland, was this year’s International Guest. On Saturday night, Liddell performed a piping recital in a packed hall of more than 200 people, who were entertained for an hour and a half.

Bands
Grade 2

Overall
1st St. Andrew’s Queensland
2nd Emmanuel College Highlanders, University of Queensland

Medley
1st St. Andrew’s Queensland (1,1,1,1)
2nd Emmanuel College Highlanders, University of Queensland (2,2,2,2)

MSR
1st St. Andrew’s Queensland (2,2,1,1)
2nd Emmanuel College Highlanders, University of Queensland (1,1,2,2)

Grade 3
1st BBC Old Collegians (2,2,1,1)
2nd Brisbane Boys College #1 (1,1,2,2)

Grade 4A
Overall
1st City of Ipswich
2nd Queensland Irish
3rd Brisbane
4th Moree Caledonian Society
5th New South Wales Highlanders
6th Murramba Pipes & Drums Society
7th Wynnum RSL

Medley
1st City of Ipswich (1,1,5,1)
2nd Brisbane (2,2,2,5)
3rd Queensland Irish (4,4,1,4)
4th Moree Caledonian Society (3,3,7,3)
5th New South Wales Highlanders (6,6,4,2)
6th Wynnum RSL (5,5,3,7)
7th Murramba Pipes & Drums Society (7,7,6,7)

MSR
1st Queensland Irish (1,1,1,4)
2nd City of Ipswich (2,2,3,1)
3rd New South Wales Highlanders (4,4,5,2)
4th Moree Caledonian Society (3,3,6,3)
5rd Brisbane (5,5,2,5)
6th Murramba Pipes & Drums Society (6,6,4,6)

Grade 4B
1st Brisbane
2nd Maclean & District
3rd Scots PGC College
4th Queensland Police Juvenile
5th Brisbane Boys College #2
6th Moree Caledonian Society
7th Warwick Thistle
8th Wynnum RSL
9th Gold Coast Tweed
10th New South Wales Highlanders

Novice A
1st Brisbane Boys College #1
2nd Brisbane Boys College #1

Novice B
1st Brisbane Boys College #2
2nd Queensland Police Juvenile
3rd Scots PGC College

Solo Piping
Gold Medal – Andrew Roach
Silver medal – Jamie Hawke
Bronze medal – Tam McGirr
A-Grade Champion – Andrew Roach
B-Grade Champion – Nick Shelburn
C-Grade Champion – Lucas Lyons