Glen Innes, a town in the New England region of New South Wales, Australia, was settled by Scots and continues to celebrate its Scottish heritage in various ways. The town, home to approximately 6,200 people, sits amid rolling green fields and forests that resemble the Scottish Highlands.
Scottish Origins and Aboriginal Heritage
According to Visit New South Wales, European settlers saw the resemblance to the Highlands and named the town Glen Innes as a result. The first owners of the area were the Ngarabal people, whose everyday life was significantly disrupted by the arrival of European settlers. Many Ngarabal people still reside in Glen Innes and follow elements of their traditional culture.
Australian Standing Stones and Celtic Festival
Glen Innes' Scottish heritage is marked by the Australian Standing Stones, a man-made megalithic array unique in the southern hemisphere, based on Scottish sites such as the Ring of Brodgar in Orkney and Calanais in Lewis. The town also hosts the Australian Celtic Festival, held over four days in the first week of May each year. Running for 34 years, the event takes place at the Australian Standing Stones and features national and international music acts, pipe bands, dancers, live-action performances, re-enactment groups, markets, food and beverage stalls, competitions, ceremonies, and children's entertainment.
According to organisers, the festival has grown from a few hundred attendees in 1992 to more than 6,000 visitors in recent years. During the festival, local stores display Celtic-themed window displays and restaurants offer Scottish-themed menus.
Gaelic Signs and Twin Town
The Glen Innes Highlands website states: "The love of Celtic history, music and culture has remained strong among our local residents. In 1992, locals organised the first Australian Celtic Festival, which has continued annually since, attracting Celtic musicians, artists and performers from around the world, as well as many thousands of visitors, many of whom attend to represent Celtic clans and societies."
Walking around Glen Innes, visitors will notice signs written in both Gaelic and English. The town's twin town is Pitlochry in Perth and Kinross, Scotland, a historic market town known for its scenery and heritage. Nearby settlements with Scottish names include Armidale, Ben Lomond, and Glencoe, while the nearby town of Inverell has a Gaelic name meaning "the meeting place of the swans."
