What are ANZAB 12 Bell Weekends?

Jim Woolford began organising 12 bell ringing weekends in 2016. The organising is now done by a committee chaired by Phil Goodyer with representatives from each branch. Initial committee activities will be:

  • organising future 12-bell weekends
  • seeking ringers from each branch to join the committee
  • administering the available subsidies

The weekends are open to all 12 bell (and aspiring 12 bell) ringers in ANZAB territory. There is the opportunity to apply for financial assistance with accomodation as listed below. Students are also encouraged to email , or call him on +61 (0) 417 823 297 if they need help facilitating travel. Additionally, there is an existing process which may be used by individual ringers seeking a one-off grant (see here).

We expect that anyone attending would be able to ring Grandsire Cinques, however most of the ringing will be Stedman Cinques and Surprise Maximus. This is a big jump for some people, but if we can encourage more people to try out ringing on higher numbers then it will help bring up quality of ringing in ANZAB – not just for those who ring at these weekends but also for those who ring with these ringers.

Phil Goodyer

Forthcoming weekends

The planned dates and locations (subject to change) for future weekends are:

Wellington 7-10 April 2023 (Easter)
Sydney 6-8 October 2023
Melbourne Autumn 2024
Sydney 11-13 October 2024
Hobart Autumn 2025
Sydney 10-12 October 2025

If you have any questions or wish to register your interest in attending, please email me .

Phil Goodyer
July 2022

Young Ringer Scholarship

Apply (or nominate someone) for a scholarship of up to $500 to attend the 12-Bell Weekend in Sydney in October 2023. To apply, email by 28 February 2023.

The funding is provided by ringers attending previous 12-Bell Weekends, and St Mary's Society (Sydney).

Notes

  • Travel and accommodation provided up to $500 in total.
  • Applications are invited from young ringers (30 and under)
  • Nomination of a young ringer may be made by any 12 bell ringer
  • Applicants/Nominees should have rung a quarter peal of Surprise Major on a working bell and have agreed to be nominated
  • Applicants/Nominees must be a resident of Australia or New Zealand.
  • Nominations/Applications should include name, details, past experience and evidence the scholarship will be accepted if offered
  • Where more than one valid nomination/application is received a selection will be made by drawing a name out of a hat.
  • The successful candidate will be advised in early March 2023


January 2023

Subsidised Accomodation

Apply for the following subsidised group accomodation by reading the information below and emailing

Wellington 7, 8 & 9 April 2023

  • $0 (yes, free) per person per night (Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights)
  • Apply now

In adminisitering subsidies, preference will be given to those travelling furthest, students & earliest responses. If you prefer not to take a subsidy, please register now anyway (particularly for Wellington) and mention this in your reply.

  • Subsidies are available for up to 12 ringers who register from outside the weekend venue
  • All rooms are twin share.
  • Additional accommodation may be available, (but is not guaranteed) beyond the first 12 and will be at a higher cost.
  • You must be a member of ANZAB and ringing on 12 over the weekend.
  • As a guide, you should have rung a QP of Stedman Triples or Surprise Major on a working bell to benefit from the 12-Bell weekends.
  • The aim of the subsidies is to encourage ringers to attend, but also to ensure the weekends are viable.
  • 11 ringers have already registered for Wellington (as of 11/10/22) so the weekend is definitely going ahead.


July 2022

ANZAB 12 Bell Weekend, Sydney, 7-9 October 2022 - Report

2022 12-bell weekend in Sydney
An ANZAB-wide band at St Mary's (Ringers, clockwise from far centre): Claire O'Mahony (country NSW), Nigel Baily (Sydney), Harold Bartlett (QLD), Tony Murray-Feist (WA), Hugh Carwardine (Sydney), Andy Waddell (ACT), Deryn Griffiths (VIC), Peter Whitehead (NZ), Phil Goodyer (SA), Andrew Davies (Sydney), Peter Harrison (Sydney), Richard Webster (Sydney)

The 7-9 October 12 bell weekend was our largest yet with about 20 locals joining ringers from NZ (3), WA (1), SA (1), VIC (1), QLD (2), ACT (2) and country NSW (4). An additional 2 (SA) joined some of us for the Goulburn extension, an enjoyable and useful warm-up before the main weekend.

2022 12-bell extension in Goulburn
Tuesday night attendance at Goulburn (L-R): Shane Daly (Goulburn), Deryn Griffiths (VIC), James Heyes (ACT), Sharon Anderson (QLD), Georgina Templeton (Goulburn), Jan Lawton (Goulburn), Peter Whitehead (NZ), Annie Zappia (Goulburn), Stephen Relf (Goulburn), Mary Sluter (NZ), Frank Sluter (NZ), Hannah Tayler (SA), Peter Norman (SA), Kate Dover Thompson (Sydney), Tony Murray-Feist (WA), Christopher O'Mahony (Goulburn)

In a lot of my ringing life I'm encouraging others to try Plain Bob Doubles (say), reassuring then that it is OK that they don't feel confident and that I don't mind if they go wrong as it is all part of the learning process. It is good for me to be on the other end of that, remembering how uncomfortable it feels but appreciating others filling in for me as I try a Maximus method.

Similarly, my compassion for new ringers struggling with handling is refreshed when my handling is challenged, be it by the tricky 3 at Goulburn, the springy ropes at St Andrew's or the heavier-than-I'm-used-to back end at St Mary's.

I am amused when new ringers forget whether they are dodging up or down, but less amused when it happens to me as my brain struggles with learning a new method.

I liked having the opportunity to conduct touches, and run a session, on 12 bells, but both take a lot of my attention and it was a relief to hand over the reins to the next person.

2022 12-bell weekend in Sydney
An advanced team within an advanced weekend (Ringers, clockwise from left): Bill Perrins, Andrew Davies, Jenny Davies, Richard Webster, Christopher O'Mahony, Peter Harrison, Angus Gilchrist, Esther Perrins, Rachel Perrins

Thanks to Phil Goodyer and all others involved in organizing this ANZAB event.

Related peals and QPs: Grandsire Cinques; Grandsire Caters; Yorkshire S Major; Bristol S Maximus

Deryn Griffiths

ANZAB 12 Bell Weekend, Brisbane, 18-20 March 2022 - Report

At last we could travel and come together for a 12-bell weekend in Brisbane, postponed from its original date in 2020. We had six QLD ringers, 2 from SA, 2 from VIC, 12 from NSW and 1 from ACT who came together to extend and strengthen 12-bell ringing in ANZAB. Hopefully next time we'll have some from WA, TAS and NZ. There were an extra five QLD ringers who joined us for the Friday evening.

There were two successful quarter peals on 12, and a bonus one on 10. There were lots of good quality ringers to ring with, and an amazing 15 hours of programmed ringing time. The Brisbane bells are a light twelve which gave good flexibility for people to ring around the back, and allowed some people to still be enthusiastically trying various combinations of bells at the end of Sunday when many others had retired.

Orion 12 band, Brisbane March 2022
The Orion Surprise Maximus Band (1-12, L-R): Kellie Hajek, Philip Goodyer, James Perrins, Peter Harrison, Bill Perrins,Thomas Perrins (C), Hugh Carwardine, Claire O'Mahony, Hadden Arrowsmith, Murray-Luke Peard, Ian McCulloch, Matthew Ball

My personal highlights were ringing a course of Erin Cinques and calling a bob course of Grandsire Cinques. I was delighted to be part of several touches of Stedman Cinques, to feel more confident on Cambridge and Yorkshire Royal and Maximus than previously, and to get the chance to try a lead of Orion Maximus and a few leads of Bristol Maximus. I particularly enjoy seeing other ringers developing. In this case, local ringer Kenneth who I recall as trying plain hunt last time I rang with him, but who is now ringing Surprise Major with confidence. 

I took the opportunity to visit Maryborough and Bundaberg prior to the weekend where I experienced their generous hospitality and enjoyed ringing with the local bands. We tried touches of Grandsire Doubles in Maryborough and rang variations of Plain Hunt in Bundaberg. I have been reminded of the pleasure of travel and the good fellowship that exists within the bellringing community.

Follow these links to the BellBoard records for quarter-peals rung during the weekend - Grandsire Cinques - Grandsire Caters - Orion Surprise Maximus.

Deryn Griffiths

ANZAB 12 Bell Weekend, Perth, 25–28 October 2019 - Report

I was delighted to be part of the recent 12-bell weekend. Thanks to all who participated, and particularly to the Perth ringers for hosting it.

I went because I expected to enjoy it, and to improve and extend my ringing (which I did). I also felt helpful filling in for some trying Plain Hunt on 11 for their very first time, and was delighted to meet several new ringers.

The weekend included sessions focussing on "easier methods", "cinques" and "maximus". Different Ringing Masters used different styles, each with their advantages. The opportunity to "catch hold" and "have a go" is fantastic. However, taking a band aiming for Stedman Cinques or Cambridge Maximus and having us ring Plain Hunt was illuminating. I was reminded that it is not just the longer, more complicated blue line, or the more difficult rope sight that makes 12 bell ringing a challenge. Even when ringing Plain Hunt I (and others) found it hard to maintain the precision required within a 12 bell rhythm.

The unexpected pleasure of the weekend was seeing the ANZAC bell, and watching and hearing its resonant chime at midday. The ANZAC bell made the 29-0-14 tenor of the ring of sixteen appear tiny.

Follow this link to quarter-peals rung during the weekend.

Deryn Griffiths

The reports above are those published on this website. Reports of these and other ANZAB 12 Bell Weekends may be found in Ringing Towers.

The bells of St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney

The bells of St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney
© Andrew Treloar, 2006.

2022 Sydney (7-9 October) with Goulburn extension (4-6 October)
2022 Brisbane (18-20 March)
2019 Perth (25-28 October)
2019 Adelaide (22-24 March)
2018 Sydney (28 Sep - 1 Oct)
2018 Brisbane (16-19 March)
2017 Sydney (24-26 November)
2017 Sydney (28 Sep - 2 Oct)
2016 Sydney (30 Sep - 3 Oct)