West Melbourne and Beyond: Scotland

Scottish Festival Day

Overnewton Castle in Keilor held its Scottish Festival Day on 26 November 2023. This festival celebrates all things Scottish as well as combining with St Andrews Day celebrations.

If you don't live locally the drive to Overnewton Castle through Keilor is quite picturesque. It feels like you are driving into a small country town and the rolling hills make it feel a bit rural rather than a suburb of Melbourne. It's certainly one of the less built up areas of Melbourne especially for an established suburb.

Festival Entertainment

Food and Stalls: There are a number of food trucks to cater for hungry punters (and their kids!). Of course it's nice to try a bit of Scottish food while you are here. Although vendors will vary year to year do not be surprised to have anything from haggis, black pudding, ice-creams, pizza, scones, coffee and more. Personally we tried 'The Lot' to celebrate all things Scottish and get into the festival spirit!

There is always a bit of shopping to be had but I don't think you'd really gear up for a substantial shopping trip. There are typical artisan type makers as well as a few specialty Scottish stalls to keep things authentic and interesting.

A great thing about the stalls is a down to earth and community feel. While some are undoubtably a bit more commercial than others the shopping doesn't feel overly commercialised. For the avid shopper you might feel like a few more shops wouldn't go amiss. However, for someone like me a bit of shopping is more of a bonus and I'm here more for the cultural and community experience and spirit.

The image below is representative of the laid back feel. You can see that it is a lovely setting for some casual and relatively relaxed shopping. There are also a few more stalls where the foodtrucks are.

Live Music: What is a festival without some music? Well the Scottish Festival Day had both traditional and contemporary. Unfortunately I do not know the name of the solo artist but the singer in question put on a sterling performance albeit not particularly Scottish. He played great pop and rock tunes, had a great voice and engaged in a nice enough way with the crowd. Definitely a crowd pleasing performance that fit perfectly with the surrounds.

Of course being a Scottish Festival is was nice to have the appearance and live performance from the Victorian Scottish Pipes and Drums. Scottish bagpipes are an iconic instrument so although they are never gonna be my favourite instrument I do enjoy them at this kind of event. The crowd particularly enjoyed their performance with lots of people milling around with excitement waiting for them to pipe up!

The Victorian Scottish Pipes and Drums marched past a very appreciative crowd with the Highland Dance Studio and 4 hairy coo's in tow. This all added to the festive environment and made the day quite special.

The hairy coo's were perhaps not so enamoured with the precedings however and proved a bit of a handful. Still, hairy coos are so iconically Scottish it is a bit of a treat for them to make an appearance.

Pony Rides: Kids always enjoy a petting zoo at any community event and although there was no petting zoo the pony rides definitely went down a treat. I'd say this is a bit more special and the pony even managed to turn into a unicorn!

Highland Dance Studio Performance: The Highland Dance Studio put on two performances throughout the day to round out the Scottish cultural performances. Performing on the village green they were very popular with the ground and make for something a bit different. Probably a bit low-key but still a crowd pleaser with the crowds waiting around for both of the performances.

Of course it was the little ones who really stole the show! They definitely were quite intense on making sure they got all their moves right but by simply making an appearance they were already winners!

I really enjoyed the performances by the Highland Dance Studio. It's definitely adds the cultural experience that makes the festival stand out. Even the little things like the tight buns the girls apply to their hair and all the various tartan attire helps to make the event special.

Overnewton Castle

Overnewton Castle has a rich and interesting history. The castle was built in the 19th century and reflects the grandeur and aspirations of its time.

Foundation and Construction: Overnewton Castle was built in 1849 by William Taylor, who emigrated from Scotland in 1837. Taylor was a successful sheep farmer and acquired land in Keilor where he decided to build Overnewton. Initially, the house was a modest six-roomed Scottish Baronial style homestead.

Expansion and Development: In the 1850s, with the prosperity brought by the Victorian gold rush and the success in his pastoral ventures, Taylor expanded Overnewton into a 35-roomed mansion. This expansion was done in the Tudor style, which was popular in England at the time. The castle featured a grand dining room, a billiard room, a drawing room, a library, and a number of bedrooms.

Architectural Features: The castle is noted for its Scottish Baronial style architecture, which includes features like turrets, gables, and battlements. Its design reflects the influence of Taylor’s Scottish heritage and the architectural trends of the era.

Gardens and Grounds: Overnewton Castle is also famous for its extensive gardens and grounds, which were an integral part of the estate. The gardens were designed in the English landscape style and included a variety of native and exotic plants.

The gardens are not super huge or super decorative but definitely worth a wander around. There are plenty of potential picnic spots available if you have a group of friends or family.

Overall Overnewton Castle is quite the pleasant surprise. I'd of course heard of Kryal Castle near Ballarat but only recently came across Overnewton Castle. To have such a castle and gardens right here in west Melbourne is quite the treat.

Location

Overnewton Castle is located at 51 Overnewton Rd, Keilor VIC 3036, Australia that is just under 30 minutes drive from Flinders Street Station.

When

The Scottish Festival Day and St Andrews Day Celebration was held on 26 November 2023.

In A Nutshell

The Scottish Festival Day at Overnewton Castle was a great celebration of Scottish culture and a fun day out for many. A great variety of activities, culture, food, entertainment, atmosphere and a castle! Great family fun. Highly recommended.