Robert Burns Scottish Festival

Press Release – Robert Burns Scottish Festival 2023 Wrap

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Dr John Menzies, OAM said “the Festival was a great success this year with a full festival program including free events and ticketed events on offer proved to be a great combination for patrons and visitors to Camperdown, lots of people took advantage of the festival events, venues were well full and well patronised. The hard work in planning and putting the festival has meet all of our expectations”. The 2023 Robert Burns Scottish Festival committee presented a successful weekend. The festival kicked off with the Movie ‘Falling for Figaro’ on Thursday night. On Friday evening 100 guests came to the Gala Dinner featuring a sumptuous Scottish meal including the Address to the Haggis given by festival performer Fiona Ross, who later performed a wonderful selection of Traditional Scottish song, Merran Moir played the small pipes and son Kyle Moir played the bag pipes. Hugh and Janet Gordon also entertained the patrons. Strip the Willow …

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Sunday 23 January 2022 Burns Birthday Event

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The 2022 Camperdown Robert Burns Scottish Festival is Celebrating Scotland’s famous Bard in the Camperdown Botanic Gardens on Sunday January 23rd.  The Gardens once home to our Statue of Robbie Burns will be hosting a Family friendly event marking his birthdate.  Dr John Menzies OAM said, “It is a happy coincidence that James Dawson’s son- in-law William Taylor gifted the 1831 Greenshields statue of Robert Burns to the Camperdown Community which has been the inspiration for the present Robert Burns Scottish Festival. This event is kick starting our 2022 festival and has been hosted in the Gardens for a number of years with folk coming along to enjoy our beautiful gardens in Camperdown”. Dr John Menzies OAM said “the RBSF committee is hosting the event and will be held with the current Covid guidelines including QR Codes on entry and proof of double vaccination” Live music in the gardens and entertainment from 4.00 pm including musicians Luke Plumb and …

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September RBSF Weekend Events Cancelled

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Camperdown’s Robert Burns Scottish Festival [RBSF] September event cancelled for a 2nd Year due to Covid-19 Delta Strain and current state of affairs. The Camperdown 2021 Robert Burns Scottish Festival has been cancelled.  Chairperson Dr John Menzies OAM said “due to continuing uncertainty and extended lockdown with restrictions, the festival committee has cancelled the remaining events of the RBSF for 2021.”   The organising committee delivered components of the festival, known as` Burns Bites’, in July, these ‘bites’  proved to be very successful and were well patronised. It was planned to move the main event to September.  It is now evident with that we cannot do this now because of the current outbreak in Victoria, “This pandemic has been fast moving, impacting many communities such that most Events and Festivals have had to be cancelled.  The Communities’ Public Safety, health and wellbeing will improve in the coming months once folk have been immunised and we obtain a high level of immunity.” Dr Menzies said. …

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RBSF July 2021 Weekend Cancelled

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Continuing uncertainty over Covid-19 restrictions and the unavailability of Camperdown’s Theatre Royal complex for performances has led the organisers of Camperdown’s Robert Burns  Scottish Festival to reconsider the structure of this year’s program and they have come up with an innovative solution which hopefully will have the support of patrons. The events of the 2-3-4th of July will be spread out to safe times in Spring, and the pre-existing performance commitments at Darlington’s Public Hall -19thJune, and Terang’s Commercial Hotel – 1stJuly – will go ahead as planned. Paid-up ticket holders will be offered the option of a refund or may opt to use their ticket to attend the deferred events. So the 2021 Robert Burns Scottish Festival will be a novel series of “Burns’ Bites” and it is hoped that supporters will be sympathetic and supportive of these changes which the organisers have been reluctant to make. The golf will go ahead as planned on …

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2020 Lecture Series

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Guest Speakers Announced. Saturday 4th July, 10.30 am – 3.30 pmKillara Centre, Camperdown $20 per Lecture Series for Adults (Saturday 4 Lectures). Under 18’s: Free(under 13’s must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.) Dr Andrew Lemon has chosen to speak on “The legacy of Camperdown district Scots and the Manifolds to Australian horse racing.” Dr Ruth Pullin will speak on “Vision and patronage: von Guérard and the Scots of the Western District.” Dr Ian D. Clark will take us on “A Scottish Ramble through the Western District.” David Jellie will discuss “The legacy of Scottish Engineers, Telford and McAdam, to Australia’s roads.” For further details and updates visit our Lecture Series page. Tickets now available!

2020 RBSF Press Release

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Camperdown’s Robert Burns Scottish Festival 2020 After the relaunch of the Robert Burns Scottish Festival this year the Community Festival Committee is pleased to announce that the Festival was a great success with an increased patronage. A revamp of the festival saw new elements implemented into the event. Chairperson Dr John Menzies OAM said the committee are busy now planning the 2020 festival program. The popular Schools program is returning and visits to local schools will include an Art, poetry and a story writing competition. The popular shortbread baking competition saw an increase of entries with many mums and dads participating. The committee made the decision for entry to the festival performances for children under the age of 18 years to be free this year, and the same offer will be offered in 2020. It is our way of offering opportunities to families to come along and experience cultural events. The RBSF starts on June …

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Burns Gala Dinner 2019

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BURNS GALA DINNER @ Killara on Friday, July 5 6.00pm for 6.30pm start Enjoy a wonderful evening of fine food and entertainment 3-course meal for $65 includes: Entrée Haggis with Mashed Potato and Turnips Main (Alternative serves) Salmon Fillet on a Leek and Pea Barley Braise 8 hour Hunters Beef with Sweet Potato and Pumpkin Mash Served with assorted Green Vegetables Sweets (Alternative serves) Sticky Gingerbread Pudding with Ginger Wine and Brandy Sauce Chocolate Orange Whisky Mousse Entertainment: Eric Bogle and Band, Fiona Ross and Shane O’Mara Sing-a-long, Poetry, Addressing the Haggis Drinks @ Bar Prices Bookings essential by Tuesday, July 2 Tickets available from Laffs, Affordable Elegance and Robinson Street Clinic or phone Catherine 0407 056 126

Top line-up for Burns Festival Lectures

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The lecture program for the 2019 Camperdown Robert Burns Scottish Festival will feature some great speakers on everything Scottish. Coordinated by the Camperdown & District Historical Society, the lecture program has grown in popularity over the years.  According to Festival chairman Dr John Menzies OAM, “an important aim of the Festival is to educate the community about the enormous contribution and influence of our Scottish forebears. The lecture program is a vital component of this”, he said. Speaking this year will be former long-serving Federal politician and well known local identity, Stewart McArthur. Stewart is a descendant of Peter McArthur, a founding Scot of Camperdown district. His subject will be; “Scots Tradition: Five generations of McArthur’s – A perspective of 180 years at ‘Meningoort’, 1839 – 2019” There will be a welcome return of culinary expert Dr Iain Buckland, who will talk about “the immigrant food experience for the Western District settlers from Scotland”. Also …

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Early Bird Tickets

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The Camperdown Robert Burns Scottish Festival Committee are pleased to announce that the festival Program is nearing completion and promises to be a Festival for the community with new elements adding to a number of favourite events returning.The Festival Chairperson Dr John Menzies OAM said “the committee are pleased to announce that Early Bird tickets will be available until May 31st and the Early Bird ticket is $80.00 which will allow patrons to go to all the performances at the designated venues over the weekend” this price excludes Festival Burns Gala Dinner $65.00 per person, bookings are essential. Dr Menzies said “our festival musicians have now been booked and the performers coming to Camperdown include Eric Bogle and his band, Fiona Ross, John McAluslan which is a great combination of Australia’s best known Scottish musicians.  Luke Plumb and Kate Burke, Shane O’Mara, Peter Daffy, Maree Daffy, Andy Rigby and Nick Martin, Claire Patti, Geoff McArthur, …

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Fabulous Music Workshops

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The Camperdown Robert Burns Scottish Festival presents three days of fabulous workshops at a Winter Music School on July 3rd, 4th and 5th. Peter Daffy, Musical Director said “Some of Australia’s finest tutors will be in town conducting a range of workshops”  There are a range of lessons for beginners in pipes and drums, Scottish country dancing and community choir and the instrumental workshops for mandolin, bouzouki, fiddle and concertina will be tailored to suit intermediate to experienced musicians. The focus is traditional Celtic tunes and songs accompaniment.  Scottish country dance lessons will be run in the late afternoons with the junior choir and informal sessions will be run in the evenings along with the senior choir.  Some come and try piping and drumming lessons are available for a small fee on the Friday.  Workshops start at $10.00 and full registration for the three days just $60.00 for Adults and $30.00 for under 18 years. …

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