Southern Tasmania Performances
Tasmania Police Pipe Band Performances at Hastings Caves and Southport Association Garden Party
On Saturday 24 March, as part of its aim to perform for communities in regional areas, the Tasmania Police Pipe Band (TPPB) travelled south to perform at the Hastings Caves Thermal Springs Reserve and the Southport Association Garden Party, the latter being a fundraiser for the local Community Centre.
Some original concerns with the weather on the day (including sleet and hail on the trip down, and snow to 700m) were alleviated ten minutes before the Band’s first performance at 11.30 when the drizzle stopped and bright sunshine lit up the Thermal Springs Reserve for the duration of the concert. Several audience members enjoyed the show from the warmth of the 28-degree pool.
After a bit of teamwork manoeuvring drums down the spiral stairs and through a few tight spots, the Band took the opportunity to play a slow air (Morag of Dunvegan) in the Cathedral Chamber of the Caves – much to the delight of the tour group inside at the time, which had not been advised about their impromptu subterranean entertainment! The rough walls of the cave absorbed the reverberation of the pipes and side drums perfectly, and the tune floated away through the tunnels and chambers.
The second concert at the Thermal Springs was cancelled due to the worsening weather, and the Band headed for Jetty House at Southport, where it played to an audience of more than 100 people. Attendees had dressed in 1920’s and 1940’s styles and were enjoying scones, cucumber sandwiches and smoked salmon pinwheels from tall cake stands, accompanied by lots of tea and coffee. After the concert, “Lady Jane Franklin” was escorted in to her diary reading by one of TPPB’s pipers, and the rest of the group were treated to a cup of tea and a scone by the organisers before heading back to Hobart.
The Band (including solo pipers and mini-bands) is available for hire around its official engagements. For enquiries email pipeband@police.tas.gov.au.
