The Maclean Rotary Club held a special meeting last Thursday evening (October 17) at the Maclean Bowling Club, to welcome Rotary Exchange visitors from Scotland.

Maclean Rotary Club president Daniel Butt said that the club was happy to welcome the international visitors: Fraser and Sheena MacGillivray – Forres, Rotary District 1010, (Scotland north) and John Owens – Thurso Rotary, (Scotland).

“The visiting Rotarians from Scotland are here on a friendship exchange and are being hosted by the Rotary Club of Iluka/Woombah,” he said.

“We were proud to invite them to our meeting (in Maclean) and we had arranged for the local pipe band president, Alistair Smith, to pipe them in. We also had Chief of the Lower Clarence Scottish Association, Peter Smith, in attendance as well.

“We had a great night, and it was very friendly, and we got to learn a little bit about our friends from Scotland,” he said.

The Independent asked the visiting Rotarians what they thought about Maclean – ‘The Scottish Town in Australia’ and the Clarence Valley.

Fraser and Sheena said that they loved the (Scottish named) street signs and the painted clan names on the tartan power poles.

John said that he also loved the view from the Pacific Hotel, in Yamba.

“The hospitality from the locals is wonderful – showing us around the area,” said John.

“It’s lovely to see the pride they have for their town here,” he said.

Also in attendance on the night were Graeme and Anne Lockyer and Steve and Gabriele Behn of Iluka/Woombah Rotary Club, who visited Scotland earlier this year in May/June, as part of the Rotary exchange program.

The Lockyer’s said that during the two-week exchange they visited four different Rotary Clubs in northern Scotland.

“The comradery and the hospitality were awesome,” said Anne.

“Living with other Rotary Club members, it was wonderful to see things that you wouldn’t have seen as a normal tourist.

“We even enjoyed the Hagas and whisky tasting, she said.”

Lynne Mowbray