The Australian Highland Games Championships returns to CelticFest Warwick 2025, bringing world-class traditional strength events, cultural celebration and exciting international opportunities for athletes.
A future for Highland Games in Australia
Organised by Highland Muscle, Wollongong, this year’s championships will feature more than twenty athletes across men’s, women’s, masters and, for the first time, junior and teen divisions “This year is about growth,” said Rob Mitchell, Highland Muscle’s Australian representative. “From juniors through to masters, there are now clear pathways for Australian athletes to step onto the world stage. This event is not just about competition; it’s about building a future for Highland Games in Australia.”
The event serves as an official qualifier for the International Amateur Highland Games Championships in Norway, with winners of the open divisions receiving invitations and financial support to compete overseas.
Plans are also underway for Masters champions to qualify for the International Highland Games Federation Masters World Series in the United States in 2026. Juniors and teens will be part of the Australian Championships for the first time, marking a major milestone in the sport’s national growth. Australia’s top performers, such as Oceania champion Terry Sparkes and rising star Brock Ridsdale will compete alongside emerging talent. In the women’s field, Queenslander Lily Riley, and Red Windle are among the names to watch.
Traditional Scottish strength
CelticFest Warwick visitors can expect to see the full slate of traditional Scottish strength contests including putting the stone, hammer throw, caber toss, weight for distance and weight over the bar. This year also introduces the Manhood Stone Challenge, a historic test of strength adapted into a timed lifting and carrying event, offering both men and women the chance to qualify for future international competitions. The return of the championships follows the successful Melbourne International Highland Games earlier this year, which attracted 50 athletes from six countries.
The Australian Highland Games Championships are a highlight of CelticFest Warwick, a vibrant celebration of Scottish and Irish heritage in Queensland’s Southern Downs. Alongside the Highland Games, festival-goers will enjoy Celtic music and dance, artisanal markets, medieval re-enactments, workshops, and animal encounters featuring Highland cows, Shetland ponies and Friesian horses, and Irish wolfhounds.
The Australian Highland Games Championships will be held during CelticFest Warwick 2025 at the Warwick Showgrounds on October 4–5, 2025. Tickets and further details are available at www.celticfestqld.com.au.
Highland Muscle is the official Australian representative of the International Highland Games Federation (IHGF), dedicated to reviving and expanding Highland Games nationally and creating opportunities for athletes to compete on the world stage.