The Melbourne Highland Games and Celtic Festival (MHGCF) has been hosting this event in Maroondah for over 57 years and is a highlight of the Scottish Australian calendar. This day-long celebration showcases the best of Scottish and Celtic culture and heritage that echoes the original games that took place centuries ago in Scotland.
International Heavy Games Championships
This year’s event on Sunday, 23rd of March 2025, will be MHGCF first truly international Games as they will be hosting the International Heavy Games Championships. The competition will be held in partnership with Events Victoria and the International Highland Games Federation (IHGF) with the support of Highland Muscle in Australia. The Games will have up to sixty athletes and officials from Australia, North America, United Kingdom, Europe and Japan to compete in a traditional Scottish Heavy Games Competition.
With the international competition there will be a film crew filming this event live for their overseas audiences. The film crew will be here for the week leading up to the Games filming Maroondah and the surrounding districts and places of interest.
Another addition to this multicultural event will be a Welcome to Country by Wurundjeri Elder Wandin followed by the Smoking Ceremony drawing strength from the Land for our Scots Warriors, spectators and indigenous peoples in attendance.
Scottish and Celtic traditions
There will also be all the other expected attractions such as dancing, pipe bands, clan tents, community organisations, displays, food stalls and retail vendors. There is something for everyone at this family-friendly (and dog-friendly) event. With an expected 7,000 attendees expected this year, the festival plays a pivotal role in preserving Scottish and Celtic traditions among the Victorian diaspora and fostering connections to ancestral roots for younger generations.
After nearly 60 consecutive years, the Games have demonstrated resilience against economic challenges, including a successful transition to an online format during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Games Committee are very grateful for the support of our Patron, The Right Honourable Simon Abney-Hastings, 15th Earl of Loudoun, and our Ambassador, The Honourable Mr Ted Baillieu AO. The Committee is pleased to welcome our Chieftain of the Day, Carol Davis, Chief’s Commissioner and President of Clan MacLennan Australia, to preside over the event.
This event is made possible through the many sponsors, stallholders and supporters. The Games would especially like to thank Maroondah City Council and Bendigo Bank in Croydon and Ringwood East for their ongoing support to our Games. The committee hope to welcome you at this upcoming international event. Please come and join in for a wonderful day of celebration, culture, and friendship. Slàinte Mhath!
Tickets are available on the day or by pre-purchase through TryBooking: www.trybooking.com/CYEUA . For further information please visit the official website at: https://melbournehighlandgames.org.au/whats-on.
All images courtesy of the Melbourne Highland Games and Celtic Festival.