Pipe Bands Australia (formerly the Australian Pipe Band Association) is the governing body for Pipe Band related activities throughout Australia. This includes, yet is not limited to:
- Contests & Adjudication
- Registration
- Grading
- Continuing Education
About
Pipe Bands Australia
Background
Following the colonisation of Australia commencing in 1788 interactions between Pipe Bands was largely concentrated in areas of denser population i.e capital cities. As interest in bands grew and matured the need arose for the formation of governing associations throughout the Australian state and territories.
In 1924 the Victoria Highland Pipe Band Association (VHPBA) was formed serving as the first and [now] oldest of the state based fraternities.
As means of travel and communicate improved bands and players alike were able to reach more easily beyond state and territory boundaries thereby precipitating a need for the federation of some state based associations.
Australian Federation of Pipe Band Associations
On its inception the ‘Australian Federation of Pipe Band Associations’ had six state member associations.
A key objective of the Federation was the development and maintenance of a set of contest regulations which could be disseminated and adopted by each State Association to provide consistency in the conduct of contests to thereby facilitate the participation of bands in States beyond their own in a fair and equitable setting.
The development of these rules was done cognisant of contemporary practices overseas with particular attention paid to Scotland.
AFPBA to APBA
As newer means of transportation and methods for communication continued to evolve and shorten the tyranny of distance faced across the continent an appetite formed to transition the state based associations into a single, unified national association.
Subsequently in June of 1977 the conference of the Australian Federation of Pipe Band Associations resolved to form the Australia Pipe Band Association (Incorporated) with the business of exisiting State based associations transitioning to sub branches of the national body.
The legal entity that is the Australian Pipe Band Association was created by formal incorporate on 29 August 1997.
Association Breakdown
2000
Registered Members Nationally
200
Registered Bands Nationally
6
State Sub Branches
Governance
The Australian Pipe Band Association (Pipe Bands Australia) through its branches in
- New South Wales
- Queensland
- South Australia
- Tasmanian
- Victoria
- Western Australia
Represent the members of the association whom are players and supporters of the pipe bands within Australia.
The ongoing governance of the associations affairs is vested in the National Council which comprises elected officials from each sub branch. A further committee of five members known as the National Management Committee oversees the day to day affairs of the association.
Australian Pipe Band College
The Australian Pipe Band College is the educational arm of the association and a sub branch of the College works alongside in harmony with the state sub branches. To that end a ‘Vice Principal’ of each respective discipline is appointed within each sub branch.
Fiduciary Responsibilities
It was resolved at a meeting of the Council in 1999 that branches would retain the responsibility for the activities related to members within their respective areas.
Australian Ladies 1926, Queensland Irish 1949, St Andrews Caledonian 1933