Wonderful News from Australia !!! New !!!
The Society is pleased to report the arrival of a new Clan member. Alannah May Thom (Armstrong) - pictured - was born in Melbourne, Australia on 28th December 2011. Parents, Kelly and Michael - see below - are absolutely delighted. We are advised that all are doing well.
Thanks to Grandfather and Sennachie, Grahame Thom, for passing on the good news.
Congratulations to all.
Added 29/12/2011
Updated 31/12/2011
Australian Branch Secretary
An update on the Australian Branch Secretary vacancy was mailed to all members in Australia on 20th August 2011.
The text of this latest letter can be found in the Members Secure Area of this website. Please click here to access it - you will be prompted to enter your password unless you have already logged in.
If you do not already a log on for the Members Secure area please click here.
Any questions regarding this letter can be sent to the following e-mail address: CMCTAustralia@gmail.com.
Added 20/08/2011
Australian Branch Secretary
Branch Members will be aware that the position of Secretary has been vacant since Ken McColm retired from the role earlier this year after many years of valuable service.
Council is keen to know members' views on how the position should be filled. A message is therefore being sent to all Branch members describing the options that appear to be available. A letter was "snail" mailed to members for whom we do not have an e-mail address on 4th August. Members with e-mail addresses will receive the same information by e-mail around 10th August.
An electronic form for expressing views is now available in the Members Secure Area of this website. Please click here to access it - you will be prompted to enter your password unless you have already logged in.
If you do not already a log on for the Members Secure area please click here.
Any questions regarding this process can be sent to the following e-mail address: CMCTAustralia@gmail.com.
Added 07/08/2011
Updated 09/08/2011
Good News from Australia
The Branch is delighted to announce the engagement in April 2011 of member Michael Thom from Melbourne to Kelly Armstrong. Our photograph shows the happy couple.
Michael is the son of Clan Sennachie, Grahame Thom.
Congratulations to Kelly & Michael.
Added 15/7/2011
Annual Picnic in Sydney
Australian Branch Members from New South Wales will gather again at noon on 27th November 2010 for their annual Sydney Picnic. It is expected that other members will travel from Victoria to join the event. The picnic will as usual be held in Centennial Park - clan members have met most years by the same tree in this park for over 30 years.
If you would like further details of this event please contact the Australian Secretary
Please click here for further details of the location.
The news item further down this page describes last year's event in more detail.
It is anticipated that some members will decide to go on to attend the St Andrew's Day celebrations in Sydney which will be held on Sunday, 28th November 2010. These will include the Kirkin' o' the Tartan, a mustering of the Clans and the march of the hands and Clans to Hyde Park, where all manner of Scottish events will take place. Please click here for further details of this event.
Added 03/10/2010
Updated 05/10/2010
Annual Luncheon in Victoria
Members of the Australian Branch of
the Clan MacThomas Society will attend the Annual Luncheon of the Scottish Clans & Associations Council which will be held on Sunday 10 October 2010 at the Karralyka Centre, East Ringwood, Victoria, Australia.
Information on this event was published in the latest edition of the Branch Newsletter, "MacThomas Bridge" or is available from the Australia Secretary.
Please click here for the programme for the luncheon.
Details and photographs of last year's lunch appear below.
Added 19/09/2010
Updated 02/10/2010
MacThomas Picnic in Ballarat.
Members of the Australian Branch based in Victoria gathered for a picnic in the Botanical Gardens in the City of Ballarat, a historic
gold town west of Melbourne, on Saturday 6 February 2010. A most enjoyable time was had by all , with the "old" members, Ken and Jill, Grahame and Rossie, Iain and Mary, Michael and guest Kelly, meeting new members Jason, Julie and Harrison for the first time. Ken read the Chief's greetings, Iain led a toast to the Chief and played a number of tunes on his bagpipes.
The above group photo was taken in front of a statue of William Wallace. The funds for the purchase and erection of this statue (and several others in the Gardens) came from a bequest made by James Russell Thomson, who made his fortune from the gold fields. Thomson was born in Aidrie, Lanarkshire on 24 May 1818, came to the gold fields in 1852, and died on 26 May 1886 in Ballarat.
Click here for more photographs of the Picnic & the Gardens and here for more information about the Botanical Gardens.
Added 21/02/2010
MacThomas Picnic in Sydney.
Members of the Australian Branch based in the New South Wales area gathered for a picnic in Centennial Park, Sydney on Saturday 28th November 2009 - two days before St Andrew's day. They were joined by the then Branch Secretary, Ken McColm, and piper, Iain Coombs who had driven down from Victoria.
Clan members have met most years by the same tree in this park for over 30 years. Chief Andrew MacThomas met his clansmen there when he visited Australia some 25 years ago.
This year the Clansmen had the added bonus of a group of heavy games athletes training for the Bundanoon Highland Gathering which will take place in mid 2010. It is reported that Iain's piping seemed to give them an extra lift.
Ken read out Finegand's Christmas message and Iain played the March of the MacThomas’s and The Flower of Scotland. A toast was drunk to McComie Mhor.
On the following day the branch's new banner was presented at St Stephens church for the Kirking of the Tartan and then paraded down Maquarrie Street to Hyde Park. Piper Iain joined the Blacktown Pipe band, who led the Gathered Clans to the Hyde Park Gathering.
It is hope that photographs of the event will be added later.
Please click here for further details of the location.
Added 21/02/2010
Updated 26/08/2011
MacThomas at Luncheon.
The Clan MacThomas Society was well represented at the Annual Luncheon of the Scottish Clans & Associations Council held on Sunday 11 October 2009 at the Karralyka Centre, East Ringwood, Victoria, Australia.
Enjoying the day were the then Australian Secretary Ken McColm and his wife Jill, Branch Piper Iain Coombs and his wife Mary, Clan Archives Committee Chair Grahame Thom and his wife Rosslyn, Grahame's son Michael Thom and friend Kelly Armstrong, and member Yvonne Hort and friend Bob.
Please click here for further photographs of the event.
More information about the Scottish Clans & Associations Council.
Added 12/10/2009
Updated 26/08/2011
MacThomas Stone at Glen Innes.
Members of the Australian Branch gathered on Sunday 3rd May 2009 for the dedication of the MacThomas stone in the Wall of History at the Australian Standing Stones site in Glen Innes, New South Wales.
The stone had been picked up at the Clan's historic lands in Glenshee, Scotland and presented to Australian Secretary, Ken McColm, by Andrew MacThomas of Finegand at the Cockstane in August 2008.
Please use the links below for more information:
Full report on the dedication by the Branch Secretary
at that time, Ken McColm.
A member's view by Catherine Thom
Photograph Album
An article in the 2009 edition of the Clach A' Choilich explains the background to the Australian Standing Stones project. Further information is available from the following website: www.australianstandingstones.com.
Added at Launch
Updated 26/08/2011