The Scottish town in Australia will come alive this weekend when the Lower Clarence Scottish Association presents the 121st Maclean Highland Gathering.

On April 3 and 4, the sights and sounds of pipe bands and solo piping featuring some of Australia’s and the world’s best, will be complimented by the beauty and grace of highland dancing and the spectacular athleticism of the highland games.

Kicking off the gathering is the solo piping and drumming at the Maclean Showground where competitors from across the country compete in one of Australia’s most recognised piping competitions.

The McSwan Family Gold Medal A Grade Piping will showcase the best pipers across three venues, the former Maclean Services Club, the Salvation Army Hall, and the Clarence Valley Council foyer, on Friday evening from 6pm.

For those who enjoy highland dancing, performers will take to the stage from 7pm on Friday at the Ceilidh in the Park, in McLachlan Park, along with Scottish folk performers, piping and drums.

The spectacle of the pipe bands on parade will bring River Street to life from 8am on Saturday morning where people of all ages line the streets to celebrate everything Scottish.

Following the parade, the attention turns to Maclean Showground for the unique combination of culture, sport and social entertainment that is the Highland Games

The Highland games feature traditional heavy athletics like caber tossing, log wrestling, shot put, to the famers walk, plus field and track events, with a programme for Men, Ladies, Boys and Girls competing.

Up to 500 performers will combine for the Massed Pipe Band Display, a memorable finale to the Highland Games.

The 121st Maclean Highland Gathering culminates at the former Maclean Services Club with the International Piping Recital from 8pm featuring one of the world’s finest exponents of the Great Highland Bagpipe, Willie McCallum.

The Maclean Highland gathering would like to thank its generous sponsors, Clarence Valley Council, Airbnb, Clarence Valley Independent, Radio 2GF, Spar Supermarket Maclean, Botero Café and Roastery, Maclean Bowling Club, The Maclean Hotel, Harwood Hotel, Lions Club of Maclean, Rotary Maclean, St Kilda Australia, Maclean District Business Chamber, Nicholsons Transport, Loving Life FM 103.1, Blok Industrial, Clarence Canegrowers Association, Riverland Travel, Riverview Funerals, and McGregor Gourlay.

This article appeared in the Clarence Valley Independent, 2 April 2026.