Southern Fling and Fringe 2026

Friday 27 February to Sunday 1 March 2026

Canberra, ACT, Australia

Join us in Canberra in 2026 for a residential weekend of Scottish Country Dancing. Enjoy an engaging program of classes, dancing and live music in a welcoming, friendly and inclusive atmosphere with an intergenerational vibe.

The weekend will feature Fling classes for dancers 40 years and under and Fringe classes for dancers 41 years and over. The groups will come together for a Welcome Social on Friday night, an optional class and Ball walk through on Saturday afternoon and the Fling and Fringe Ball on Saturday night. Consider donning some tartan for the Ball and brace yourself for a tartan explosion.

Meet the teachers

We are fortunate to have Clare Haack (Sydney) to teach the Flingers and Sarah Wrigley (Melbourne) for the Fringers.

Clare Haack (Sydney)

I started Scottish Country Dancing as a child alongside Highland Dancing. However, it was not until years later, when I moved to Sydney, that I discovered the worldwide influence of the RSCDS and my dancing zeal was reignited.

I completed my full teaching certificate in 2022 following many enjoyable years attending Winter/Summer schools across Australia and New Zealand as well as day schools, workshops and clinics. I have taught at Sydney Branch workshops and events, at various Sydney classes and I teach regularly at my local club. I taught at the Southern Fling and Fringe weekend in Melbourne in 2024 and I look forward to doing so in Canberra.

When not wearing my dance shoes I am an early childhood educator and a crime novel enthusiast with a penchant for eating all things sweet!

Sarah Wrigley (Melbourne)

I fell in love with Scottish Country Dancing in 2015 in Melbourne and passed my Unit 5 exam in early 2025 in New Zealand. I have been teaching weekly at Ringwood in Melbourne’s outer Eastern suburbs since 2020 - it’s a dynamic class with a range of ages and abilities. I enjoy witnessing the progress made by the newer dancers as they gain confidence and improve their skills, while also seeing the more experienced dancers continue to learn and enjoy dancing.

Away from the dance floor, I run my own business, sit on a couple of Boards and enjoy painting (acrylics), backgammon, gardening and reading. (I’d love to say in my spare time, but that would be stretching the truth!)

I look forward to teaching at the Southern Fringe and Fling event and catching up with my dancing family for a fun weekend at what will be a terrific event.

Meet the musicians

We are delighted to welcome fiddler Matthew Robertson, accordionist David South and other musicians to share their extensive repertoire of wonderful jigs, reels and Strathspeys to add live music, energy and zest to our classes and dancing.

Matthew Robertson (fiddle)

Bringing Scottish dance and music together, Matthew Robertson teaches Scottish country dancing at the Box Hill Scottish Society SCD group in Melbourne, and co-anchors live music for SCD in Melbourne with David South (accordion), Julia Arnold (piano) and musical friends in various ensembles for SCD, Scottish ceilidh and community events.

Matthew is musical director for the 2026 RSCDS Australian Winter School in Melbourne, reprising the role from the successful 2019 Winter School, with some of the SCD world’s finest musicians travelling to Australia to collaborate for a week of fabulous music and dance.

David South (accordion)

David South grew up in a Scottish country dancing family, despite not having any Scottish heritage. His mother took up the activity as a teenage hobby before she married, making her debut at the Clan McKenzie Charity Ball in Brisbane. She met David's father on the boat trip to Scotland to attend the RSCDS St Andrew's Summer School and after marrying, he followed in her footsteps in learning how to dance, despite being an Englishman!

David gained experience playing first piano, then accordion for his mother's dance class in Brisbane in the 1970s and 1980s, before relocating to Victoria in the mid-1990s. He met his future wife Kim at an RSCDS Australian Winter School, where he was one of the staff musicians. Since then, David has been part of various ensembles.

David has had the opportunity to travel to Scotland three times. Highlights have included: being interviewed by the late Robbie Shepherd on the BBC Radio program ‘Take The Floor’, sitting in on gigs with the bands of Nicol McLaren, Colin Dewar and Iain MacPhail, meeting one of his heroes, Jimmy Shand Jnr, exploring the vibrant Accordion & Fiddle Club scene before it was decimated by Covid, and attending the Accordion & Fiddle Festival in Shetland.

David plays, arranges and composes and is steeped in the history of Scottish dance music, as is evident from his large collection of Scottish dance recordings, which along with his sheet music library, are an invaluable resource for musical performance.

Weekend Program

Friday 27th February 2026

2 pm Registration opens at Garden City Hotel, 55 Jerrabomberra Avenue, Narrabundah

6:30 – 7:30 pm Dinner for residents and commuters at a venue to be advised

8 – 10:30 pm Welcome dance including supper at Wesley Hall

Saturday 28th February 2026

7 - 8 am Breakfast for residents at Garden City Hotel

9 am - 12 pm Morning class including morning tea

Flingers at Griffith Hall and Function Room

Fringers at Wesley Hall

12:30 – 1:30 pm Lunch for residents and commuters at Wesley Hall

2 - 3:30 pm Optional class at Wesley Hall for all dancers

3:30 - 4:30 pm Optional Ball walk through at Wesley Hall for all dancers

Alternatively, free time to explore Canberra, put your feet up etc.

6 - 7 pm Dinner for residents and commuters at a venue to be advised

7:30 - 11:30 pm Fling and Fringe Ball including supper at Wesley Hall

Sunday 1st March 2026

7:30 - 8:30 am Breakfast and check out for residents at Garden City Hotel

9:30 am - 12:30 pm Morning class including morning tea

Flingers at Griffith Hall and Function Room

Fringers at Wesley Hall

1 - 2 pm Lunch and Farewell at Wesley Hall

Class and dance venues

Fling classes will be held at Griffith Hall and Function Room, 53 Stuart Street, Griffith, ACT.

Fringe and combined classes and evening dances will be held at Wesley Hall, 20 National Circuit, Forrest, ACT.

Local venues for gatherings during the weekend and after the evening dances

Harmonie German Club, 49 Jerrabomberra Avenue, Narrabundah - 9 pm closing

Gryphons Caffe Bar, 16 Barker St, Griffith - 10 pm closing

Kingston Hotel, 73 Canberra Avenue, Kingston - late closing

Capital Brewing, Building 3/1 Dairy Road, Fyshwick - late closing

There are other day time and evening options reasonably close by in Manuka, Kingston and at the Kingston Foreshore.

Accommodation

Accommodation for residents is at Garden City Hotel which is a member of the Best Western group. We have pre-booked a range of twin and queen rooms. The hotel is located at 55 Jerrabomberra Avenue, Narrabundah, ACT. Further information about the hotel and its features is here

Bring your togs, there’s a pool.

Other accommodation options for private bookings can be explored here

Transport

All residential and commuter attendees are to organise their own travel to and from the dance weekend.

Distances between venues

Garden City Hotel to Wesley Hall – 7 minute drive, 55 minute walk

Garden City Hotel to Griffith Hall and Function Room – 5 minute drive, 30 minute walk

Griffith Hall and Function Room to Wesley Hall – 5 minute drive, 30 minute walk

Transport between the accommodation and class and dance venues will be provided by a volunteer car pool for those without their own transport.

Catering

Breakfast for residents will be served at Garden City Hotel.

Morning tea will be provided for all attendees at the class venues.

Lunches will be provided for all attendees at Wesley Hall.

Dinners will be provided for all attendees at a venue to be advised.

Supper will be provided for all attendees at evening dances.

Ticket prices

Residents

A residential ticket includes share accommodation in a twin room (queen and single bed), breakfasts, morning teas, lunches, dinners and suppers, and classes and dances with live music. If you wish to book a single room, an additional payment of $139 is required.

RSCDS Member $500

Non-member $550

RSCDS Member (30 years and under) $400

Non-member (30 years and under) $450

Spectator $400

Commuters

A commuter ticket includes morning teas, lunches, dinners and suppers, and classes and dances with live music.

RSCDS Member $300

Non-member $350

RSCDS Member (30 years and under) $200

Non-member (30 years and under) $250

Spectator $200

We welcome any contributions towards supporting the attendance of young dancers at this event. Please consider rounding up your payment.

Payment is by bank transfer. Details are at the base of the online registration form and will also be emailed to you with your booking acknowledgement. Final payment is due by Sunday 8 February 2026.

Dancers not attending the weekend can book a ticket/s for the Welcome Dance on Friday evening by emailing southernflingandfringe@gmail.com.

Financial support

Flingers may consider approaching their local RSCDS Branch or SCD group for financial support to attend this event.

Youthful attendees are welcome to apply to the Susi Mayr fund for financial support to attend this event. Details are here

We will inform attendees of any other forms of financial support that arise via email.

Registration

Register online for the Southern Fling and Fringe 2026 event here

Cancellations and refunds

A full refund will be given for cancellations up to Wednesday 31 December 2025.

A partial refund (30-60 %) will be given for cancellations between Thursday 1 January and Sunday 8 February 2026.

No refunds can be provided after Sunday 8 February 2026 due to our commitments to accommodation and catering providers.

Further information

Please email southernflingandfringe@gmail.com if you have any questions.

We look forward to welcoming you to Australia’s friendly National Capital for a fabulous weekend of dance, music and social activities.

Southern Fling and Fringe 2026 Organising Committee