DUNEDIN, NEW ZEALAND, 7th - 10th FEBRUARY 2008

New Zealand Chieftain, Gary Merrylees, starts proceedings at the formal banquet
in the Dunedin Centre.

"The Edinburgh of the South" (Dunedin, New Zealand) was the setting for the 3rd International Merrilees Family Gathering, attended by 140 adults and nine children from Australia, Canada, England, Scotland, New Zealand and the USA. They are pictured (above) on the steps of St Paul's Cathedral for the official photograph. (Otago Daily Times).
The Gathering began on Thursday afternoon (7th February) with an early-birds 'meet and greet' in the Hutton Room of the Otago Museum where registration packs and name badges were handed out. On Friday and Saturday clan members were able to check their genealogy and obtain personal copies of their family trees at Burns Hall. Bus tours took family members to historic sites at nearby Taieri, and the Merrilees golf trophy was keenly contested by an international field of 17 players.
On Friday afternoon 134 family members boarded the special charter train for a trip on the world-renowned Taieri Gorge Railway and enjoyed a typical Kiwi barbecue.
On Saturday evening the family was piped into the Dunedin Centre for a formal banquet and an opportunity to socialise. The Gathering ended with a church service on Sunday.

Clan Chief Michael Mirrilees addresses the Gathering after being re-elected unanimously for a further term.