29 compete in 2024 Australian Championships, as Hawthorn takes the top award

Maryborough, Victoria, Australia – April 12, 2024 – Under perfect weather at Princess Park, 29 bands competed in the 2024 Australian Pipe Band Championships in the regional town of Maryborough, site of the first Australian Championships in 1961.

Hawthorn was the only contestant in Grade 1, and Emmanuel College of Queensland was the sole entry in Grade 2. Grade 3 attracted five bands, with City of Melbourne taking the prize. All bands in all grades compete in two events, all held on one day.

Nineteen bands from Victoria, eight from other Australian states, and Lion City of Singapore competed. The day started with a street march down the main street of Maryborough, with 2022 Australian Drum-Major Champion Dominic Anderson Strudwick leading the parade. Three representatives of bands from the 1961 championships took part in the march.

The event is held every two years. The 2000 Australian Championship was to be held in Maryborough, but the competition was cancelled due to pandemic restrictions.

Grade 1 (one played)
1st Hawthorn

Judges: Medley: Ainsley Hart, Scott Nicolson (piping); Mick O’Neill (drumming); H. Osborne (ensemble). MSR: Donald MacPhee, J. McLeish (piping); Harold Gillespie (drumming); Sam Young (ensemble)

Grade 2 (one played)
1st Emmanuel College, Queensland

Judges: Medley: Ainsley Hart, Scott Nicolson (piping); Mick O’Neill (drumming); H. Osborne (ensemble). MSR: Donald MacPhee, J. McLeish (piping); Harold Gillespie (drumming); Sam Young (ensemble)

Grade 3 (five competed)
1st City of Melbourne No. 1
2nd City of Adelaide
3rd Coastal Scottish
Drumming: City of Melbourne

Medley
1st City of Melbourne No. 1 (1,1,1,1)
2nd City of Adelaide (2,2,2,2)
3rd Coastal Scottish (3,3,4,5)
4th Halleybury No. 1 (5,5,3,4)
5th Vicorita Scottish (4,4,5,3)
Judges: Brett Tidswell, Brian Switalla (piping); Y. Coustley (drumming); Andrew Womersley (ensemble)

MSR
1st City of Adelaide (2,1,4,2)
2nd City of Melbourne No. 1 (3,2,1,3)
3rd Coastal Scottish (4,4,2,1)
4th Halleybury No. 1 (1,5,3,5)
5thVictoria Scottish (5,3,5,4)
Judges: Ainsley Hart, Scott Nicolson (piping); Mick O’Neill (drumming); H. Osborne (ensemble)

Grade 4A (eight competed)
1st Scotch College Melbourne
2nd Scotch College Sydney
3rd Old Scotch
Drumming: Old Scotch

Medley
1st Scotch College Sydney (1,1,3,1)
2nd Scotch College Melbourne No. 1 (2,3,1,2)
3rd Old Scotch (5,2,2,3)
4th Australian Federal Police (4,4,5,4)
5th Governor MacQuarrie Memorial (3,6,7,5)
6th Lion City (Singapore) (6,7,4,7)
7th Canberra Burns Club (7,5,8,6)
8th St. Amaud (Norman Simpson Memorial) (8,8,6,8)
Judges: Donald MacPhee, J. McLeish (piping); Harold Gillespie (drumming); Sam Young (ensemble)

MSR
1st Scotch College Melbourne No. 1 (1,1,2,3)
2nd Scotch College Sydney (2,3,3,2)
3rd Old Scotch (5,4,1,1)
4th Australian Federal Police (3,5,4,5)
5th Canberra Burns Club (4,2,8,7)
6th St. Amaud (Norman Simpson Memorial) (7,6,7,4)
7th Governor MacQuarrie Memorial (5,7,68)
8th Lion City (Singapore) (8,8,5,6)
Judges: Brett Tidswell, Brian Switalla (piping); Y. Coustley (drumming); Andrew Womersley (ensemble)

Grade 4B (14 competed)
1st Maryborough & District
2nd City of Melbourne Highland No. 2
3rd Scotch College No 2
Drumming: Scotch College No. 2

Medley
1st Maryborough & District (1,2,4,1)
2nd City of Melbourne Highland No. 2 (2,1,7,2)
3rd Scotch College No 2 (3,3,3,3)
4th Horsham City (7,4,5,8)
5th Ballarat Grammar (5,8,1,11)
6th Golden City (6,7,10,4)
7th St. Andrew’s Caledonian (4,6,13,5)
8th Albury Wodonga (11,5,8,7)
Judges: Ainsley Hart, Scott Nicolson (piping); Mick O’Neill (drumming); H. Osborne (ensemble)

MSR
1st Maryborough & District (4,3,4,2)
2nd City of Melbourne (9,1,2,1)
3rd Scotch College No. 2 (8,5,1,3)
4th Ballarat Grammar (6,2,3,8)
5th Golden City (1,4,11,7)
6th Warmambool (2,11,9,5)
7th Watsonia RSL (5,10,6,10)
8th PLC Melbourne (13,9,5,4)
Judges: Brett Tidswell, Brian Switalla (piping); Y. Coustley (drumming); Andrew Womersley (ensemble)

Novice A (three competed)
1st Scots College Sydney
2nd Halleybury No. 1
3rd Scots College No. 1
Drumming: Halleybury No. 1

Novice B (four competed)
1st Scotch College No. 2
2nd PLC Melbourne
3rd Halleybury No. 2
Drumming: Scotch College No. 2

Note: As initially reported, the 2020 Australian Championships were cancelled due to COVID-19, not 2022.