Geoff has a strong connection to his Scottish roots through his grandfather’s passion for the family’s history and heritage. Scottish Country dancing was a big part of Geoff’s childhood – attending weekly classes and regular social dances. Participating in dancing demonstrations at the Berwick Highland Gathering drew Geoff’s interest to the bagpipes, which he began learning – that was over 30 years ago. Geoff played the Highland pipes with Berwick and Nunawading pipe bands for a number of years, competed in solo contests and studied bagpipes for VCE (high school certificate).

Throughout his involvement with Highland piping, Geoff has been interested in the many varieties of pipes, and now plays Scottish Highland, Lowland and smallpipes, the Northumbrian pipes, and is currently tackling the uilleann pipes. In the mid-1990s, Geoff delved into the world of folk music and branched out to play Scottish smallpipes and other pipes at sessions and festivals, and performed with several Scottish folk bands, most recently with Taliska. It is this love for the many variety of pipes that inspired Geoff to run piping workshops and sessions at his home, prior to instigating the formation of the Club.

When Sarah began her smallpiping journey in 2006, she called up every smallpiper she knew to ask for their help. She learned that there were pipers all across Australia who were each persevering with their pipes alone. Six years later, she co-founded Celtic Piping Club.

Having already played recorder and clarinet, Sarah took to highland pipes in Denmark with Holbæk Pipe Band and continued in Perth WA with Coastal Scottish Pipe Band. In Melbourne, apartment-style living and playing with other musicians saw the Scottish smallpipes as a more favourable option. Winner of the Lowland & Border Pipers Society Competition Overseas Class in 2017 and one half of pipes & oboe duo Duck Duck Goose (2015-2018), Sarah loves the breadth of old & new repertoire to play on smallpipes and friends to play it with.

As co-founder & Vice-President of the Club, Sarah has been a key driver behind the Club’s vision, membership base, annual Goldfields weekends, festival appearances, newsletter content, website design, online activities and Jimmy’s Gift digital concert.