Scotsburn’s Scott clan yesterday celebrated its 175th anniversary since settling in the region  with a gathering at the family’s Mt Boninyong homestead.

In all, 172 descendents of Andrew Scott and his wife Celia attended the gathering, in the shadows of Mt Buninyong.

With the addition of a piper and a couple of blow-ins from The Courier, they reached the 175 mark.

That total included four of the eight generations of Scotts in Australia, from 91-year-old Bill Ballhausen (fifth generation) through to two-year-old twins Atticus and Jarrah Stephens (eighth generation). They came from as far afield as Queensland and Tasmania.

Mt Boninyong’s current owner, Celia Burnham – nee Celia Scott – organised this year’s celebration.

“We have been organising a family reunion for every 25 years,”Mrs Burnham said. “We’ve had a few apologies, of course, but it is a great turn out.

“The next will be a big one – 200 years. I hope I’m here to celebrate but I hope someone else is running it.”

Andrew and Celia Scott emigrated from Glasgow to Australia in 1838 with their four children – Robert, Andrew, Thomas and Martha.

A friend who later became a neighbour advised them to settle near what is now called Scotsburn, where they “squatted” and ran cattle and (later) sheep.

The present house was built in 1884 after the original house was pulled down. 

Yesterday’s anniversary was marked with the planting of a tree, a Brachychiton acerifolius, also known as an Illawarra flame tree, as a living time capsule.

There was also an extensive family tree and memorabilia on display.

gav.mcgrath@fairfaxmedia.com.au