Destination's Journey

Category: Re-Enactment

  • Aberdeen Highland Games with Tartan Warriors and Bands

    Aberdeen Highland Games with Tartan Warriors and Bands

    The Aberdeen Highland Games is held annually in the Upper Hunter town of Aberdeen in New South Wales Australia.

    Getting There

    Held in Jefferson Park Aberdeen, access is very easy with signs directing you where to go for parking and entry to the park.  There is ample parking available on site which is managed by with local SES volunteers.  They will direct you  to a parking spot and ensure they car parking is orderly so that people can get in and out safely.

    Buying Tickets to the Aberdeen Highland Games

    Tickets can be purchased on the day, or on-line.   On-line purchases give you a discount of $5.00 (in 2018). Tickets purchased on-line also enable faster entry which is a great way to avoid queuing. 

    All action is based in one of two ovals and a dancing stage and fully surrounded with market stalls selling Scottish heirlooms and souvenirs.

    It’s very cold so rug up or dress in theme.

    Typical Scotsman at the Games Aberdeen Highland Games New South Wales www.destinationsjourney.com
    Typical Scotsman at the Games

    Events on the Day

    Initially there is an opening chieftain’s address welcoming guests and sponsors and giving information about what’s happening during the day (you can also buy a guide book).

    The day’s events then start with the massed pipe bands. Each clan and band enters dressed their clan’s tartan playing bagpipes and drums. Once all of the bands are on the field, they perform a massed march of the bands. They march up and down the field several times, so there is ample opportunities to see everything and take photos.

    Massed Pipe Bands at the Games Aberdeen Highland Games New South Wales www.destinationsjourney.com
    Massed Pipe Bands

    The Australian Defence Force sent the Australian Federation Guard Precision Drill Team. Selected from all three services, they provided an amazing display of precision marching and weapons firing.

    Australian Federation Guard Precision Drill Team at the Games Aberdeen Highland Games New South Wales www.destinationsjourney.com
    Australian Federation Guard Precision Drill Team

    The Scottish dancing competitions are held on the central stage. These are very popular, so to get a good view, get in early and get a good spot.

    The strong men in the tartan warriors competition is a highlight of the day.  Events include the sheaf toss, caber toss and commenced with the stones, or Clach Cuid Fir.

    The Tartan Warriors at the Games Aberdeen Highland Games New South Wales www.destinationsjourney.com
    The Tartan Warriors

    The bands compete individually to choose the best band, so the sound of bagpipes is in the air the whole day. This gives a great atmosphere throughout the day.

    To see what else there is to do in the Hunter Valley, please see some of our other stories.

  • Blacktown Medieval Fayre – Sydney

    Blacktown Medieval Fayre – Sydney

    The Blacktown Medieval Fayre is an annual event held at the Nurragingy Reserve in the Sydney suburb of Blacktown.  The reserve only had limited parking, so we chose to travel by train. At the train station there was a free shuttle bus running to the event. These ran every half hour. We were on one of the early ones and it was only half full.

    Entry

    The queue of cars to enter the car park was huge, so we were glad we chose to take public transport. A great bonus for the Blacktown Medieval Fayre is there is no entry fee. The council wants to attract people to the area and attend the event and this is a great way to do it.

    Princess Fiona Cosplay Blacktown Medieval Fayre www.destinationsjourney.com
    Princess Fiona Cosplay

    Similarly themed re-enactment groups are gathered together around the reserve.  These varied from medieval knights, archery, swordplay and cosplay so it was easy to find an area you were interested in.

    Activities

    There are several small arenas set up so there is always something happening, from men at arms demonstrating sword fighting, falconer showing birds of prey and armored knights jousting. The program was full for the whole day so it was difficult to get bored as something interesting was on somewhere. We started by sitting on the hill overlooking the main arena and watched the jousting.  Watching armored knights charging at each other with lances was great fun.

    Charging Knights Jousting Blacktown Medieval Fayre www.destinationsjourney.com
    Charging Knights Jousting

    After the jousting competition finished, we walked around and watched the swordsmen fighting. This was very interesting because they used many different weapons, from swords, staves to pole arms.

    Knights Fighting Blacktown Medieval Fayre www.destinationsjourney.com
    Knights Fighting

    Medieval Knight Blacktown Medieval Fayre www.destinationsjourney.com
    Medieval Knight

    Taking the re-enactment of the day seriously, the medieval warrior, sat down to an authentic medieval lunch.

    Medieval Lunch Blacktown Medieval Fayre www.destinationsjourney.com
    Medieval Lunch

    There was also a huge variety of stalls selling everything from food to replica weapons and armor and crafts and everything in between. A great day out and lots of fun.

  • Ironfest – Lithgow New South Wales

    Ironfest – Lithgow New South Wales

    Ironfest is an annual event held in Lithgow New South Wales. It showcases many genres of cosplay and historical re-enactment. The venue is the Lithgow Showgrounds which gives the event plenty of scope to place similar themes together. We found that it was easy to find a specific performance or theme, using the timetable and map provided on Ironfest’s website.

    Cosplay and Steampunk at Ironfest

    As you meander around Ironfest, you will meet the characters and participants that make this kind of event special. People dressed as steampunk and wastelanders predominated, although there were plenty of US Civil war veterans and Vikings.

    Wild West
    Wild West
    Post Apocalypse
    Post Apocalypse
    Waste Landers
    Waste Landers
    Waste Landers
    Waste Landers
    Steampunk
    Steampunk
    Waste Landers
    Waste Landers
    Steampunk
    Steampunk
    Waste Lander
    Waste Lander
    Steampunk Tricycle
    Steampunk Tricycle
    Steampunk Monocycle
    Steampunk Monocycle

    Historical Re-Enactment at Ironfest

    World War 2

    In the World War Two section, Germans, Russians and American camps were all next to each other and getting on amiably. Even the French Resistance was represented. The detail in the camps was amazing and the historical accuracy is something they were all dedicated to.

    US Army General
    US Army General
    US Sergeant
    US Sergeant
    French Resistance
    French Resistance
    The Russians
    The Russians
    German Guards
    German Guards

    Military Equipment

    There was a huge section of military vehicles, from World War Two and later. There were several examples of Ferret and Saracen as well as a huge Abbot 105mm self-propelled artillery piece and an M3 Stuart tank.

    Ferret Armored Car
    Ferret Armored Car
    Saracen APC
    Saracen APC
    Abbot
    Abbot

    Vikings

    Towards the rear of the show grounds was a Viking camp. Interested people were able to try out Viking chain mail and weapons. The camp was working as a real Viking setting, with cooking and cleaning done historically. Washing was demonstrated using wood ash and lots of physical effort to clean clothes. There was even a minstrel playing a lute.

    Clothes Washing Viking style
    Clothes Washing Viking style
    Viking Minstral
    Viking Minstral

    US Civil War

    Near the Vikings was a US Civil War camp, with both sides present. Again historical accuracy was very important from tents to equipment. The first display in the main arena involved these people demonstrating their muskets and canons in a mass firepower display. In addition to the smoke generated the noise was amazing.

    March in For Firepower Display
    March in For Firepower Display
    Civil War Camp Site
    Civil War Camp Site
    Civil War Camp
    Camp
    Civil War Headquarters
    Civil War Headquarters

    Main Arena – Tourney Ground

    Major activities took place in the arena. The MC was the Iron Monk, who did a fantastic job, managing to keep things reasonably on time as well as being very entertaining. After the mass firepower display, the knights demonstrated their skill at arms. This was all done on horseback as it would have been in medieval times. They used lances and swords to hit targets, including rings and cantaloupes thrown into the air.

    The view from the grandstand was great with no problems being able to see the events.  There was room between the grandstand and the arena, if you wanted to get closer to the action. Neither area was overcrowded and the crowd was very relaxed and enjoying themselves at Ironfest.

    The Iron Monk
    The Iron Monk
    Mounted Knight Charging Target
    Mounted Knight Charging Target
    Mounted Knight Charging Target
    Mounted Knight Charging Target
    Mounted Knight Charging Target
    Knight Charging Target
    Mounted Knight Charging Target
    Mounted Knight Charging Target
    Mounted Knight Charging Target
    Mounted Knight Charging Target
    Mounted Knights and Squire
    Squire and Mounted Knights

    Later in the day the medieval foot soldiers put on a display of sword fighting. Initially as one on one and then as a large melee.  They all seemed to be having fun and played the part very well.

    Medieval Knights
    Medieval Knights
    Medieval Knights
    Medieval Knights
    Medieval Knights
    Melee Medieval Knights

    If you weren’t keen on the historical food on offer, there was plenty of modern food stalls available. We had a fantastic time at Ironfest and can see why people keep going back each year.  A great day out in Lithgow.

    For other places to visit in New South Wales, please read some of our other stories.

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