BATHURST will kick off a worldwide carillon celebration this Friday to see in the new year.
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The Bathurst War Memorial Carillon and the community bells in the nearby All Saints' Anglican Cathedral will lead the way as 2021 becomes 2022 and bells around the world ring in celebration.
The Ring Around The World global initiative was created by Paul Ashe, president of the National Bell Festival in the USA, and Stuart Pearson, convenor of Bathurst's Festival of Bells, which was held for the first time in May.
The All Saints' Cathedral will ring out its bells up to midnight and the Carillon will then strike 12 strokes of the bell, followed by 15 minutes of music commencing with the traditional Scottish song Auld Lang Syne.
Bathurst Regional Council tourism and visitor services manager Daniel Cove said Bathurst is the only location in the world where a carillon, with its fixed bells, is located next to a cathedral, with its own separate set of pealing bells.
"The Anglican Cathedral bell-ringers will start off this global event prior to midnight during which Denise Garland, one of Bathurst's very own carillonists, will climb the stairs to the top of the Carillon to be ready to commence on the stroke of midnight," he said.
"The Bathurst District War Memorial Carillon will be the very first to ring in the new year with a number of carillons to follow in Africa, Europe and North America as the world moves through its different time zones.
"The whole event will be streamed live on YouTube, commencing with the Bathurst Carillon.
"This initiative puts Bathurst on the global stage, alongside bells in many world cities, such as Johannesburg, Oslo, Copenhagen, London and Washington, and further highlights the importance and deep cultural significance of the Bathurst District War Memorial Carillon."
