27-29 JUNE 2025

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History Talks... we invite locals, visitors and history buffs
Stories, Music, Fun and Making… calling all kids
New Event: The Reformers & Harpistry... read all about it
Free events, family and children's activities...
2025 festival - April press release

BURNS BEYOND SCOTLAND – CELEBRATING OUR
DIVERSE CULTURAL HERITAGE AND OUR CONNECTION TO THE BARD

ROBERT BURNS CELTIC FESTIVAL COORDINATOR CATHERINE O’FLYNN: 0407 056 126

Special thanks to Cobden & Districts Community Bank Branch and Camperdown Branch for being our MAJOR SPONSOR for RBCF2025.

#CamperdownCeltic #CamperdownBurnsFestival #RobertBurnsCelticFestival

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Thanks Glenn Wilson for your beautiful work, the musical and event interactions showcase what Camperdown’s  CELTIC festival is all about, with footage from RBCF2024. This clip features traditional music performed by local community music group ‘Tuniversal’ – who auspice the event. We are so lucky to have thriving community music groups, including The Lakes and Craters Band.

Local photographer Glenn Wilson has done this beautiful projection video featuring the 2024 festival. It is screening on the buildings near the clock tower! Need a photographer? Contact Glenn – his business is called ‘Shift of Focus’. Above you can see how much care and detail he gives to his work, we are thankful that he is part of our festival team.

ROBERT BURNS CELTIC FESTIVAL – APRIL 2025 PRESS RELEASE

The Robert Burns Celtic Festival, 27-29 June 2025, is a winter festival celebrating Scotland’s National Poet and the Celtic culture in poetry, song, music and dance, in and around the historic buildings of Camperdown, South West Victoria.

Festival Chair, Dr John Menzies OAM, is delighted to announce that The Melbourne Welsh Male Choir is returning to Camperdown to perform at the Finale. Headline acts will also include Luke Plumb & Peter Daffy, The Raglins, MacCrimmin, Fiona Ross, The Corby Family, Elonera, Harpistry, The Reformers  (who will present a contemporary show; “In the hope of Something Better”, celebrating Australian Poet Henry Lawson) and Kym Dillon. 

The History Talks, Choirs in Concert, and Festival Finale are just some of the highlights of an exciting weekend that is full of entertainment.

 The popular Gala Dinner takes place on Friday night. Guests will enjoy a three course dinner, a festival showcase of performances along with the traditional Address tae the Haggis, fine food, good company, Scottish country dancing, a Burns poem and more. 

Returning musicians and dancers will delight; Peter Daffy’s Celtic Band, Merran and Peter Moir, The Twa Bards.  Along with Tuniversal Music Group, The Camperdown Lakes and Craters Band, The Australian Irish Dance Company, The Geelong Scottish Dance Group, Hugh and Janet Gordon, and the Warrnambool Pipes and Drums. 

Market stalls, and music along the beautiful elm lined avenue will delight. The Schools Arts Project will be on display, there will be a shortbread competition, wee stories, and children’s games. A family fun ceilidh and concert will take place on Saturday night.

The James Blair Memorial Solo Piping Competition, organised by the Victorian Pipers Association, will be held, and The Robert Burns Golf Ambrose Cup also returns to the scenic Camperdown Lakes course, with a nip of whisky on the ninth.

There will be a gathering at the Robert Burns Statue on Sunday morning where festival favourites, The Twa Bards, will present Burns, songs and poetry.

It’s worth coming just for the HISTORY TALKS! Our five guest speakers are both eminent and entertaining. Here’s a quick look at the program (full details are on our website); 10.30am–11.30am Honorary Associate Professor, John Sherwood: ‘Camperdown’s Explosive Past’ , 11.30am–12.30pm Emeritus Professor Richard Broome: ‘”Who’ll Take a Glove”: Aboriginal Tent Fighters’, 1.30pm–2.45pm Dr Ruth Pullin and Dr Thomas A. Darragh: ‘Camperdown and Kangatong: von Guérard’s Berlin Letters and What They Reveal’, 2.45pm–3.45pm Robert McLaren: ‘The Rev. Kay: Front Row Seat to a Changing World from 1850 to 1880′ This story in time, unearths a naval hero, links to the British Royal Family, a life in rural Scotland, scandals, the birth of Italy, a messy Victorian court case and a legacy that continues today.

*Weekend Tickets from 1st May – 14th June *$120.00

*Weekend Tickets from 15 June – 27th June *$180.00 

*Excludes Gala Dinner.
 Gala Dinner $85.00 per person, bookings are essential.

Early Bird Tickets are on sale NOW to purchase online at TryBooking: https://www.trybooking.com/CXRJT
camperdownburnsfestival.com or at Laffs in Camperdown.

For further information please contact Festival Co-ordinator Catherine on 0407 056 126

New Event:  The Reformers & Harpistry

Camperdown’s Robert Burns Celtic Festival is one month away.  The Festival Committee have been busy finalising the RBCFestival Program. Dr Menzies OAM and Festival Chair said “The Hope of Something Better” tells a story of Australian Poet Henry Lawson.

This year’s program includes a very special event to be held at St Paul’s Church featuring The Reformers and Harpistry on Saturday the 28th June.

The Reformers formed to perform “The Hope of Something Better” live. The show is a multimedia performance that includes spoken word, video, songs and a live band, coming together to present the poems of Lawson in a new, vibrant and contemporary way.

Hailing from Warrnambool, Victoria, songwriter, musician and producer, Don Stewart, has produced an album called “In the Hope of Something Better”. The Concert presents the poems of Australian iconic poet, Henry Lawson, as spoken word and songs, supported by Celtic tune compositions by internationally renowned Australian composers including Murray Blair, Mark Saul.  Don believes that Lawson’s poems still have relevance to 21st century Australia” and so he has tried to present the pieces in a contemporary and musically broad way, including touches of electronica and rap sprinkled throughout the performance.

Harpistry: this talented Trio of Harpists will take patrons on a musical journey. A mutual love of all things harp plus some chance meetings at The Lake School of Celtic Music, equalled the beginning of this musical collaboration in 2019. Their music radiates folk melodies, original and contemporary compositions. 

They recently released their first studio recording on CD. “Performing in many Churches and festivals this trio Harpistry will take us all on a beautiful musical journey”. Catherine O’Flynn Festival Coordinator, said” Harpistry are multi-instrumentalists Pam Bennett, Sylvie Rogers and Merran Moir.

HISTORY TALKS

“You don’t need a kilt to enjoy these talks,” says Historical Society President, Lyle Tune. “Just a curiosity for the stories and people that have contributed to the cultural, environmental and historical fabric of this region.”

Program Highlights:

10.30am – John Sherwood: Travel back millions of years to a time before Lakes Bullen Merri and Gnotuk existed, when volcanic activity reshaped the land. Sherwood explores the geology of the region and evidence that Aboriginal people may have witnessed some of these ancient eruptions.

11.30am – Professor Richard Broome: Discover the story of Aboriginal tent fighters who competed at agricultural shows from the early 1900s to the 1970s. Broome unpacks the complexities of these travelling boxing troupes and the questions they raise about agency, representation and resilience.

1.30pm – Dr Ruth Pullin & Dr Thomas Darragh: Explore the connection between colonial artist Eugene von Guérard and the Berlin Ethnological Museum through his correspondence and collections. This session reveals how art, collecting and colonial relationships intersected in the lives of figures like von Guérard and James Dawson.

2.45pm – Robert McLaren: In this talk, McLaren traces the life of Reverend Kay from rural Scotland to Wickcliffe, revealing a life touched by naval heroism, links to the British Royal Family, scandals, the birth of Italy, a messy Victorian court case and a legacy that continues today with the bi-annual awarding of two University scholarships.

The history talks are included with a Robert Burns Festival weekend ticket or available separately for $25.

The venue is the Killara Centre, beside Camperdown Library, with easy access and winter-warm comfort. $25 covers all 4 talks. Door sales available, pre purchase preferred.

About the History Talks Presenters

John Sherwood: John Sherwood has spent decades exploring the ancient forces that shaped Victoria’s volcanic plains. A former lecturer at Warrnambool’s Institute of Advanced Education and Deakin University, he brings both scientific insight and local knowledge to his talk on the geological history of the Western District.

Professor Richard Broome: One of Australia’s most respected historians, Professor Richard Broome is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of the Humanities and a Fellow — and President (2019–2025) — of the Royal Historical Society of Victoria. He taught at La Trobe University for over thirty years and has written extensively on Aboriginal history and is a recent co-author of The Story of Melbourne’s Lanes.

Dr Ruth Pullin & Dr Thomas Darragh: Art historian Dr Ruth Pullin and museum scholar Dr Thomas Darragh team up to explore the intersecting lives of landscape painter Eugene von Guérard and Aboriginal advocate James Dawson. Their talk draws on newly examined letters and museum records to reveal how colonial collecting practices, art and advocacy were deeply intertwined. Together, they offer a fascinating window into 19th-century Victoria and its global connections.

Robert McLaren: Local historian Robert McLaren stumbled upon the Reverend Kay while researching Victorian bluestone churches — and uncovered a story that stretched across continents. Robert is President of the Mortlake & District Historical Society and author of several publications on Western District history

 

Our five guest speakers are both eminent and entertaining. If you have an interest in history, geology, Aboriginal history, local history… this series is not to be missed. Lyle Tune (President of the Camperdown & District Historical Society Inc.) and Bob Lambell (Vice President of the Camperdown & District Historical Society Inc.) have said that they are very excited about this years program, for its depth and caliber.

“We invite locals, visitors and history buffs to join us for one talk or stay the whole day,” says Lyle. “It’s a unique opportunity to explore the stories and histories that have shaped this region over time.”

The Heritage Centre, 241 Manifold Street, will also be open over the festival weekend, with displays that resonate with the festivals focus, featuring Aboriginal and local history along with our regions Celtic connections. You can visit the: https://camperdownhistory.org.au/ for a preview of Camperdown and District’s story. Bob Lambell has curated a significant resource that features First Nations. You will also find research documents, and local history books available for sale.

 

Stories, Music, Fun & Making… Writing, Art and Shortbread!

“The 2025 Robert Burns Celtic Festival program includes some great opportunities for local folk and visitors to Camperdown” festival chairman Dr. John Menzies OAM said.

Stories, Music, Fun and Making with Anne Daffy and Co, is a free event for the younger kids, Pre-School and Prep to Grade 6 will have a great time making things from recycled materials, music and stories on Saturday 28th June from 10.30 – 12.00 noon at the Camperdown Library. Anne, one of the festival musicians performing with the Corby Band over the weekend, grew up in Camperdown and is a sister of Peter and Maree Daffy.  Anne is involved in many committees including the Lake School, a teacher and busy mum, is kindly organising this fun children’s activity. 

The Shortbread Baking Competition is again proudly sponsored by The Loaf and Lounge.  This is a great activity, all the local Schools are encouraging students to enter. Mercy Regional College featured on the ABC Back Roads program earlier this year with host Kerry Straight.  The Loaf and Lounge judges Bek and Sharon are looking forward to hosting the event and will be joined by guest judges.  The Shortbread completion also has an Open section for all the home bakers. Entry Forms are available from the Loaf and Lounge or festival website.

Activities for the children include the School Art & Writing Competition which is also sponsored by The Loaf and Lounge. Coordinator of the Schools Art and Writing project, Carolyn Menzies and her team will meet to judge the entries, which will then be displayed in local Shop windows. Previous years entries have dressed up the town and signals that the Robert Burns Celtic Festival is on very soon.

Carolyn said “It is a lovely way to engage school age children and the local Schools to be included in the festival. The schools have been very supportive and the children’s entries are always great”. The winners will be announced on Saturday 28th June at the evening Family Dance.  

The Committee would like to acknowledge and thank all our local Sponsors who enable the committee to continue putting on this community festival. Please help support them. 

The 2024 change to a Celtic festival expands the ability to include other Celtic nations with performers from Ireland, Wales and England while retaining connections to our Scottish performers. 

Dr John Menzies OAM, festival Chair said “The 2024 Festival was a wonderful success and planning is already in place with performers booked for our 2025 Robert Burns Celtic Festival and the program will include many festival favourites.”

The Robert Burns Celtic Festival is a winter festival celebrating Scotland’s national Poet and the Celtic culture in poetry, song, music and dance, in and around the historic buildings of Camperdown.

Dr John Menzies OAM is delighted to announce that The Melbourne Welsh Male Choir is returning to Camperdown to perform at the Festival Finale Concert. 

Dr Menzies said “Since its inception the choir has grown into one of Australia’s acclaimed male choirs, known for the quality and spirit of its four-part harmonies. The choir is steeped in the choral traditions, but is still proudly Australian and has many members from diverse nationalities.  It honours its Welsh roots by singing at least 25% of its repertoire as Welsh songs, with at least half of these in the Welsh language, Europe’s oldest living language.  The Choir has travelled and performed internationally including London’s Royal Albert Hall.“

The Gala Dinner and the festival History talks along with multi festival performance spaces will see new performers at the 2025 festival.

Already booked to perform at the 2025 festival are The Melbourne Male Welsh Choir, Luke Plumb & Peter Daffy, and Fiona Ross.  New acts include The Raglins, an exciting young band from Melbourne, MacCrimmin, The Corby Family, Elonera and Harpistry. 

The Reformers will present a contemporary show; “In the hope of Something better”, celebrating Australian Poet Henry Lawson.  

Returning are Peter Daffy’s Celtic Band, Merran and Peter Moir, and The Twa Bards.  Tuniversal Music Group and The Camperdown Lakes and Craters Band, The Australian Irish Dance Company, The Geelong Scottish Dance Group, Hugh and Janet Gordon, and the Warrnambool Pipes and Drums.

Also happening in Camperdown at the festival will be the James Blair Memorial Solo Piping Competition at St Patrick’s, this is organised by the Victorian Pipers Association. The popular Robert Burns Golf Ambrose Competition returns to the Camperdown Lakes course.

After the success of the Choir competition, and with the formation of our own Camperdown Celtic Choir, invited Choirs will perform on the Saturday. Dr Menzies, said “It was a great inclusion at this year’s festival with the visiting Choirs performing at the Theatre Royal to a full house.”   

At Robert Burns Statue festival favourites The Twa Bards will present Burns, Songs and Poetry, and the Festival Finale Concert on the Sunday will complete a full festival program. 

Over the weekend a series of concert performances and music will be at the Theatre Royal, Killara Centre and local businesses. 

The Schools Arts project, Street Activation, Market Stalls, Music in the Avenue will also be happening. A Family Ceilidh Dance on Saturday night  promises to be a great night.

Catherine O’Flynn, Festival coordinator has been busy booking Musicians for the Festival in June and the line-up of bands and musicians will not disappoint. Watch out for Early Bird Tickets being released in February; https://www.trybooking.com/CXRJT

Here’s a few of our favourite photos from 2024. A weekend full of music, history, dance, choirs, food, fun… celebrating Celtic connections, Burns beyond Scotland… and getting excited about choirs with our first mass choir of 130+ voices led by Kym Dillon and with six visiting regional choirs, as well as headlining The Melbourne Welsh Male Choir. It has to be said that there was also a lot of dancing – with even more ceilidh action making it easy for everyone to join in the fun, along with Irish and Scottish dance concerts. 2025 promises to offer even more.

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On Sunday the 19th of January 2025 from 4-6pm we have our annual Burns Birthday Celebration. It will be held under the beautiful natural cathedral canopy of Linden Trees at Camperdown’s Botanic Gardens. BYO Picnic. Entry by donation.

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Please Support Our Local Sponsors.

Special thanks to Cobden & Districts Community Bank Branch and Camperdown Branch for being our MAJOR SPONSOR for RBCF2025. The community support that they provide is valued.

Special thanks to Tuniversal Music Group Inc. which auspices the event.