This award category acknowledges the tireless efforts of individuals and innovations that have enabled the promotion and/ or advancement of the pipe band fraternity in Australia.
Outstanding Service
Promotion & Advancement
Duncan MacLennan was particularly influential in the advancement of pipe band performance in Australia in the years following World War II. Having served as Pipe Major during the war he used his training in Scotland and knowledge of the bagpipes to benefit soldiers returning home in addition to the arriving wave of Scottish emigrants.
Initially living in Ballarat he soon had shaped the local band into one of the leading bands in the country before later returning to the Victoria Scottish Regiment whom became a leader in pipe band performance in the 1950s and 1960s.
Duncan continued to tutor numerous other bands in those post-war years and was a founding member of the Pipers’ Club of Victoria where solo playing was promoted.
An early piping instructor at Haileybury College, from late 1945 till 1946 he served the Victorian Highland Pipe Band Association as Secretary, returning to this during an interregnum in 1955.
Duncan served as Vice-President from 1953 to 1961, and then President from 1961 to 1974, following the inaugural President William Plain.
Duncan supported the formation of the Australian Federation of Pipe Band Associations in 1960, serving as its President in 1961, and as Principal Piping from 1967 to 1971.
Lew Zilles was at the forefront of establishing the Victorian Highland Pipe Band Association in 1924.
For 50 years drum major of Ballarat Highland Pipe Band, made a significant contribution to the writing of drill instruction manuals, acting as an adjudicator until the 1980s.
An innovator in band and massed band displays.
Duncan MacLennan was particularly influential in the advancement of pipe band performance in Australia in the years following World War II. Having served as Pipe Major during the war he used his training in Scotland and knowledge of the bagpipes to benefit soldiers returning home in addition to the arriving wave of Scottish emigrants.
Initially living in Ballarat he soon had shaped the local band into one of the leading bands in the country before later returning to the Victoria Scottish Regiment whom became a leader in pipe band performance in the 1950s and 1960s.
Duncan continued to tutor numerous other bands in those post-war years and was a founding member of the Pipers’ Club of Victoria where solo playing was promoted.
An early piping instructor at Haileybury College, from late 1945 till 1946 he served the Victorian Highland Pipe Band Association as Secretary, returning to this during an interregnum in 1955.
Duncan served as Vice-President from 1953 to 1961, and then President from 1961 to 1974, following the inaugural President William Plain.
Duncan supported the formation of the Australian Federation of Pipe Band Associations in 1960, serving as its President in 1961, and as Principal Piping from 1967 to 1971.
Bruce served as the Victorian Vice president from 1970 to 1976, and subsequently President, a position he held until 1994 for a period of 18 years.
As President of the AFPBA for an extended period from 1987 to 1995, Bruce worked to bring the former federation of state-based associations together as a single entity.
Bruce’s interest in drumming and Pipe Bands has been life-long. Heaving learnt drums under the tuition of Alex McCormick Bruce was, for many years a drummer with the City of Melbourne Highland Pipe Band, and drum sergeant for much of that time.
For many years Bruce was the full-time drumming tutor at Haileybury in Melbourne, and during this time the band won several Australian and Victorian Pipe Band Championships.
Michael Stubbings, a life long contributor to pipe bands, drumming, and piping.
Michael was a drummer with several bands, but notably City of Blacktown and St Mary’s Band Club in Sydney, as well as a PBA Councillor and Committee Member, adjudicator and for many years, Chairman of PBA NSW.
Following his retirement Michael and his wife Robyn made their home in Melbourne and continued their interest in Pipe bands and the activities of Pipe Bands Victoria.
A piper with Melbourne Ladies, Margaret at age 18 became its youngest-ever pipe major and saw the band progress to Grade 1, touring France as pipe major of Edinburgh Girl Pipers during an extended trip overseas in the 1960s.
As an administrator, Margaret first became involved as a branch councillor in 1972 and for 23 years was Victorian secretary and served as Australian secretary for eight years.
Anthony began his involvement in pipe bands as the foundation secretary of Melbourne University Pipe Band while studying law in Melbourne. Later he became president of Nunawading Pipe Band before being first elected to executive position in Victoria in the 1960s as assistant secretary and later secretary.
Anthony was vice-principal Rules and Administration in Victoria and the first principal, serving from 1991 to 2009. In those roles, he was largely responsible for the drafting of rules and regulations during more than 40 years of distinguished service.
One of the greatest advancements in pipe band drumming emerged from a factory in the Melbourne suburb of Reservoir in the 1980s with development of the Legato K series snare drum using the “Banjo” or “Floating Shell” system of snare drum construction.
Leading Drummer John Kingston joined to assist with this exciting project designing drums able to withstand the extreme tension which came about with the introduction of the Kevlar heads. These revolutionary drums were patented and exported worldwide and took many bands to prizes, including the Grade 1 Worlds Pipe Band Championship drum corps prize.
This system changed the design of the pipe band snare drum around the world. Once again Australia was leading the way with ingenuity in design of our instruments.
Beginning as a piper and later drum major, Brian became a successful advocate for pipe bands in Australia serving as Queensland branch chairman and national secretary.
Brian further championed the Pipe Band movement overseas where he attended the Alliance of North American Pipe Band Associations meetings as an Australian delegate.
Brian also served as a dress and drill adjudicator and contest supervisor.
June’s enthusiasm was a hallmark for over 65 years as Piper, Drummer, Drum Major and tutor that started with Fremantle Caledonian.
Founder and first pipe major of WA Irish and secured sponsorship from City of Armadale. In 1996 formed City of Cockburn. Instructor at numerous Perth schools over 40 years.
Her passion and interest was always the broad pipe band community.
Rob’s achievement in pipe band performance of pipe bands has helped chart the way in several the Pacific Rim within Army and community bands.
Rob began his career in NSW before moving Mount Isa and later Brisbane as pipe major of Brisbane Caledonian and founder of Brisbane Blue Bonnets, later becoming piper major of St Andrew’s.
Rob later served as music director for four years of the PNG Correctional Services Pipe Band. He also led Australia pipers and drummers to competition in Jakarta.
Ewen had a lifelong interest in Scottish culture and in 1956 became president of the Port Adelaide Caledonian Society Pipe Band and through this, the SA Band Association which was predominantly a brass band association.
In 1958 Ewen became a co- founder of the South Australian Pipe Band Association which at that stage, was Adelaide based that later merged with the South East, South Australian group. From 1962 until his retirement in 1976, he held the position of President.
Ewen led the South Australian Pipe Band Association to joining the Australian Federation in 1960 and served several terms as the national President.
Ewen was a co- founder of the Adelaide Highland Games holding competitions from 1960 through to the late 1980s which included the Australian championships in 1964, 1966, 1968 and 1976.
Ewen was a foundation member and driving force for the formation of the RU Brown Piobaireachd Society of South Australia and served as its first president.
Following in the footsteps of his father, David commenced as a piper with Lakemba Caledonian Society aged 14 and joined the Campsie Scottish Association committee at age 16. This represented the commencement of decades of service as an administrator and promoter that included terms as Australian association president and secretary as well as a leading administrator in NSW. It was here that David organised special performance events for Royal tours and other occasions.
For more than 30 years he was chief band marshal for Sydney’s ANZAC Day march. David assisted in organising the 1960 meeting to establish the Australian Federation of Pipe Band Associations and was elected deputy chairman of the Australian Scottish Heritage Council on its formation in 1981.
Robert has been involved in the pipe band movement as a promoter and contest organiser for more than 42 years. Robert has been the key organiser and focal point for bands for the Maclean Highland Gathering, one of Australia’s longest running pipe band and solo competitions whose origins date back to 1893.
Robert joined the Lower Clarence Scottish Association in the early 1970s and served as secretary from 1972-1975 inclusive, 1980 and for an uninterrupted period of 32 years from 1984 to 2015.
He was a founding member of the Maclean: Scottish Town in Australia Committee and has served the committee in a number of roles and has held the role of president for many years.
The Maclean Scottish Town in Australia is responsible for recognising the town’s Scottish cultural links and using them to promote the town as a business and tourist destination.
A champion Scottish piper, Peter arrived in Australia in 1912 and quickly became a leading pipe major and judge for over 40 years. Peter officiated in every state, president of Maryborough Highland Society advocating a stand-alone pipe band association in the 1920s, Victoria vice-president and advocate in the 1940s and 1950s of an Australia Pipe Band federation.