Recent award recipients

Congratulations to the following members, who at the recent Daylesford Highland Gathering were recognised for their achievements and contributions to the Victorian pipe band community.

Peter Clohesy Shield for contributions to pipe band drumming in Victoria
Tim Calderan

Tim began on snare at City of Berwick Pipe Band about 1989 under the tutelage of Bruce Neal OAM, and his first competition was at Daylesford in a miniband. Tim joined Moorabbin Pipe Band in 1997. While developing as a Gr2 drummer, he supported Watsonia RSL Pipes and Drums to compete at the 1998 Victorian and Australian Championships, gaining firsts. He joined the Moorabbin drum corps in 1998, where he remained until 2002, winning numerous drumming titles along the way. In 2003, he became the playing tutor of the Golden City Pipe Band and then in 2004-2005, he played with the University of Ballarat, again in Gr 2. After a break, Tim to playing with Victoria Scottish Pipes and Drums in 2016, where he still plays today, becoming the leading drummer in 2019. He continues to support other bands when numbers are low, often playing for Watsonia RSL and Golden City, the second of which he tutored through the 2022 season. In 2019, Tim became the Secretary of the VHPBA, a position he still holds.

Victorian Scottish Cultural Heritage Foundation: music prize for young, community pipers and drummers in Victoria:

Liarra Pule-Leech - piper
Liarra has been playing with Golden City Pipe Band since 2014 when she was 7. She has progressed rapidly, winning the Fred Roberts Most Improved Piper trophy for the band trophy several times, progressing from the 2nd rank to a front-rank harmony player, leading a mini band, and assisting by teaching other young pipers in the band. She practices with dedication, tutors younger players and teaches herself more complex tunes. The financial support associated with this award will allow her to progress her piping education. Well done, Liarra

Darcey Tuckerman - drummer
Darcey has pipe bands in his blood through both grandparents. He joined Golden City as a learner under Bill Russell and Jason Gerdsen at the age of around 6. He has been a keen soloist winning several contests, including a Victorian Championship this year. He started playing as leading drummer of Golden City at the ripe old age of 13, which is a remarkable achievement. Darcey is looking to use the funding associated with this award to have online tutoring with some of the world’s top drummers. Congratulations, Darcey.

Wendy Faulkhead Memorial Trophy
Chris Sinclair

The Wendy Faulkhead Memorial Trophy came into existence in 2022 and is in memory of a long-standing DHGC Secretary.

Chris Sinclair began his piping journey at the age of 17 in Shepperton, under the tutelage of Eileen Mackie, as a member of the Shepperton Pipe Band. At the age of 20, he relocated to Melbourne and joined the City of Melbourne Highland Pipe Band, then under the leadership of Pipe Major Jimmy McPhee. Chris assumed the role of pipe major in 1984 and held it for 13 years until 1997. During his tenure, the band thrived, competing in Grade 1 contests throughout Australia and New Zealand with many successes along the way. After stepping down as COMHPB pipe major, Chris continued playing in the band – and still does - contributing his skills and experience for several more years.

In 2006, driven by his passion for piping, he founded the Daylesford and District Pipes and Drums. Over the years, this band has occasionally participated in competitions, and Chris remains a dedicated instructor for the group. Chris currently serves as the Musical Director for the Victoria Police Pipe Band, a position he has held for 10 years. In this role, he is responsible for guiding the band’s musical direction and content.

​Beyond these roles, Chris is well-known for several notable achievements within the piping community. He gained fame as "John Farnham's piper" during the 1989 Whispering Jack concert, and played on the original studio recording, too. He also served as the pipe major of the massed pipes and drums of Victoria and accompanied the City of Adelaide Pipe Band to the Interceltique Festival de Lorient Festival in Brittany, France, in 2006. Chris is recognised for his dedication to teaching and supporting country bands. Chris’s extensive contributions to piping, both as a performer and as a mentor, make him a deserving recipient of the trophy.