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tartan

HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF BALLARAT PIPE BAND

Historical accounts of Ballarat recognise that bagpipes were an early form of entertainment on the Ballarat goldfields. The large migration of miners to the Ballarat goldfields in the gold rush of the 1850s resulted in a large and passionate Scottish community in the area. This was so much the case that in the late 1850s, 'Caledonian Societies' formed in both Buninyong (1 January 1858) and Ballarat (November 1858), holding highland games regularly, and it is easy to imagine the sound of pipes being heard at such events. The Ballarat Caledonian Society formed its band officially in 1909, thus giving the University of Ballarat a heritage that is amongst the oldest of any band in the country.

Post WWI
Pictured above: The Ballarat Caledonian Society Pipe Band in about 1920.

Ballarat Highland

The Ballarat Highland Pipe Band was formed in May 1931 and band officials appointed at a special meeting held on 26 November 1931. It was formed by ex-members of the Ballarat Caledonian Societies Pipe Band which had earlier disbanded, but there is a clear link and continuity between the two bands. It's bandroom was given as 5 McKenzie Street Ballarat, appropriate, given the band wore the Mackenzie tartan.

The Ballarat Highland Pipe Band had a rich and proud tradition which spanned 61 years. It would be almost impossible to document all of its achievements, but the band hall still proudly displays many indications of the band's success, history and development, including Honour Rolls for World Wars I and II and numerous trophies and photographs.

The Band was successful in Grade 1 under Pipe Major Duncan McLennan and Pipe Sergeant Bill Spicer, who took over as Pipe Major when Duncan moved to Melbourne. During this time, Bill Williams became Pipe Sergeant and Jack McGregor served as Drum Sergeant. Our ranks boasted members of the calibre of Col McDonald.

Ballarat Highland c1990

Ballarat Ladies'

The Ballarat Ladies Pipe Band, with the help of Lou Zillies, played in Grade Two in the early 1950s. The Band still has Sue Brant, Life Member and the last member of the Ladies Band playing currently.

In the early 1980s, the Ballarat Ladies amalgamated with Ballarat Highland and continued under the Ballarat Highland name.

Ballarat Scottish

The Ballarat Scottish Pipe Band was formed in the early 1950s under Russell Kerr's leadership. Russ was well known in the piping arena and led the Ballarat Scottish to many successes. Rob Kerr, son of Russell, took over in 1970 as Pipe Major.

Over the years, many individual families have made their mark on the pipe bands of Ballarat. There is a great tradition of playing within the Kerr family. The Pipe Band is very proud of Rob's son, Anthony, who progressed through the Ballarat Scottish Pipe Band and went on to win three Grade 1 World Championships as a member of Simon Fraser University Pipe Band - Canada. Rob's son-in-law Adam Quinn – married to former member Elise Kerr – also played in two of those victories.

Amalgamation

In 1993, it became apparent that the two Bands could not survive without amalgamation. The amalgamation breathed new life into bagpipes and pipe band drumming in Ballarat. The City of Ballarat Pipe Band, as it was known at the time of amalgamation, became a new, dynamic and exciting piping and drumming organisation.

The University of Ballarat - A new era

Subsequently in 1995, an arrangement was reached with the University of Ballarat such that it became the naming sponsor of the Band. The Band provides pipers for special functions, especially graduation ceremonies and the Band plays at Open Days. We represent the University in Australia and overseas and exemplify the University’s commitment to culture, community, and of course education through the extensive program of teaching learners. Band members who are studying at the University of Ballarat also benefit from a scholarship scheme to subsidise their education.

Our Band is very family-oriented and over the years has had within its ranks several members of some families, spanning three, four and more generations.

Since 1993, the Band has amassed an impressive competition record, being promoted to Grade 2 in May 1998, and subsequently returning to Grade 3 in June 2001. The Band was subsequently re-graded to Grade 2 once more in late 2009.

A summary of major results in the modern era is as follows:

* Denotes that the South Pacific Championship was also contested.

The above list, of course, does not include other top three placings, of which there have been many, including the 2009 New Zealand Championship in Christchurch. On this occasion, the Band ran second to a band which had last played in Grade 2, and was immediately upgraded back to Grade 2 after their win. Ironically, the winning New Zealand band included an émigré former member of the University of Ballarat Pipe Band! Other notable competition records include:

In 2008, numbers in the Band were great enough that a No 2 Band was formed to compete in Grade 4. Although this was not the first time the University of Ballarat Pipe Band had a No 2 Band, the aim is to sustain this in the long term as a means of introducing learners to contests in a more manageable and less stressful way, and to provide a ‘feeder’ band for the No 1 Band. At the 2009 New Zealand Championships in Christchurch, on its first championship outing and only its fourth contest ever, Grade 4 band not only qualified for the final, but finished 4th overall out of a field of 23 bands. By the 2009-2010 season, the Grade 4 band was gaining second placings quite regularly (including the Victorian Championships) and even winning drump corps prizes in the grade.

Life Members

Over the years, each of the preceding Ballarat pipe bands has honoured long-serving, committed and influential members by appointing them Life Members. The University of Ballarat Pipe Band has also so honoured members in this way. Visit the Life Members' page for further information.