A few weeks from now, the Hunter Valley swaps its usual vineyard calm for something a bit louder and a lot heavier. The Hunter Valley Highland Games land at Saltire Estate on Saturday 22 August, and if you have never been, it is worth knowing what you are walking into before you go.
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The centrepiece is the National Highlander Championships, where some of the strongest men and women in Australia take on the traditional events. The caber toss is the one everyone wants to see — flipping a long, straightened wooden beam — but there is plenty more: the Stones of Strength, where five stones of increasing size and weight are lifted; the Tug O' War; and the Husafell Stone Carry. Around that, the day fills out with pipe bands, Highland dancing, a Jacobite re-enactment complete with musket firing demonstrations, and a Highland cow farm with two calves, Sorcha and Skye.
It is built for families, which is the real reason it works. There is a Kids Zone with free face painting and old-school games like sack racing, egg and spoon, and three-legged races, so younger visitors have as much to do as the adults. Market stalls set up across the grounds sell Scottish-themed gifts, crafts, tartans and Clan society goods, and the food is the real deal: a Scottish butcher prepares haggis, black pudding, tablet, fudge, Edinburgh Rock and Scotch pies.
The setting is no accident. Saltire Estate is owned by Russell Leslie, a Scot born and raised in Dunfermline, north of Edinburgh, and the vineyard takes its name from the Saltire, Scotland's blue and white flag. The Scottish connection runs deeper into the region than that, too — the Hunter Valley was named after Captain John Hunter, the second Governor of New South Wales, and James Busby, known as the father of Australian wine, was born in Edinburgh. The Highland Games themselves go back to the 11th century, when they were a way of testing endurance and strength while showing off dance and music to clan chiefs, kings and queens.
On the practical side, doors open at 8:30 am, so there is no rush to be the first through the gate. Tickets are A$30 for adults and A$25 for concessions and children over 13, and free for children under 13. There is a A$5 on-the-day gate surcharge, so booking ahead is the cheaper option. Pack a picnic blanket or a couple of camping chairs, and bring the dog on a lead — they are welcome. The full 2026 program is due closer to the day, so it is worth keeping an eye out for that before you plan your afternoon.
If you have never done a Highland Games, this is an easy one to start with. It is a full day out in the Hunter, and with the kids sorted and the food and market stalls to wander, it is as much about the atmosphere as it is about the athletics. Grab your tickets early, pack the chairs, and leave some room for a Scotch pie or two.
Published Date
30 July 2026
