Australia Highlanders Pipe Band
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| Established | 1956
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| Location | Melbourne, Australia
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| Grade | 1
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| Pipe Major | Danny Boyle
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| Drum Sergeant | Alistair Boyle
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| Notable Honours | Winner, Australian Pipe Band Championships: 2006; 11th place, World Pipe Band Championships: 2006
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| Website | www.nunapb.com |
The Australia Highlanders Pipe Band is a grade one pipe band, based in Nunawading, Victoria, Australia. The band has been successful in the Australian competition for numerous years, and was placed 11th in the final tables of the World Pipe Band Championships in 2006. The band is led by Pipe Major Danny Boyle and Drum Sergeant Alistair Boyle, and is a member of the Victorian Highland Pipe Band Association.
[edit] History
The Nunawadding Pipe Band, as it was then known, started in 1956. After three decades of local competition, the band ventured abroad to New Zealand, where they won the 1989 national championships in grade two. Under a year later, Nunawadding also received first place in the Australian and South Pacific Championships, which earned their promotion to grade one.
After several years in this division, the band took another overseas trip, this time to the World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow, Scotland. In the home of the Great Highland Bagpipe, the Australian contenders placed 18th.
While this was a commendable effort, the band went into decline for much of the decade, until it was taken over by Danny and Alistair Boyle, the pipe major and drum sergeant, in 2001. After this changeover, Nunawadding went from grade three to grade one in the space of a single season.
To fill the void left by regrading, and make space for an influx of new members, a second band was created. Nunawadding No. 2 competes in grade four to this day.
Nunawadding again travelled to New Zealand in 2003, and placed 2nd, closely following another Australian band. Not to be deterred, the band attained a 19th placing in the world championships two years later.
In February 2006, the band changed its name to Australia Highlanders for marketing reasons. With an overall win at the Australian and South Pacific Championships later in the year, it was seen that the exceptional performances can still be expected under the new name.
