Bagpipe player honoured with OAM for decades of service to music

But he's been awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM), joining the 2024 honours list of more than 28,000 countrymen and women.

Mr McLeod has been commended for his service to music through pipe bands, a rare honour held by a select few OAM holders.

The Allansford man was surprised on hearing that he'd receive the award and said the whole experience was "very humbling".

"It's not something I'd thought would ever happen," he told The Standard.

Mr McLeod was nominated for the accolade by fellow enthusiasts for his efforts in tutoring and inspiring others.

His love of bagpipes came at the age of five when he began listening to his great grandfather play the instrument.

He started playing himself just a few years later after attending a school fête at Mepunga East Primary School.

Mr McLeod joined the juvenile Warrnambool band in 1981 and was taught by fellow OAM recipient Donald Blair.

"Donald had a real passion and he imparted that to us kids," Mr McLeod said.

The bagpiper was part of the Warrnambool band until 1993, going on take part in the World Pipe Band Championships the following year.

He moved to Echuca on his return and resurrected the effectively-defunct Shepparton Pipe Band.

"Reforming the Shepparton Pipe Band was the most challenging and rewarding thing I've done throughout my entire piping career," he said.

"We were teaching people from scratch and getting the band going from virtually nothing."

Mr McLeod became chairman of the Victorian Highland Pipe Band Association and Pipe Bands Victoria in 2004.

"I just got involved on the committee then one thing led to another and I was chairman of Pipe Bands Victoria for 17 years," he said.

He was honoured as a life member of both organisations in 2013 before stepping down from the state-level role in 2021.

Mr McLeod said when he was learning, it was mostly teenagers who played but often these days it was adults who were taking up the bagpipes.

"A lot of people who want to learn now are harking back to something they wish they'd done when they were younger," he said.

"There's still a strong interest but it's up to the pipe bands and the people tutoring and leading the pipe bands to get out there."

An architect by trade, Mr McLeod said he'd been very fortunate to have been granted flexible working hours so he could pursue his interest in music.

"And without the support of my wife Miranda, I wouldn't have been able to do what I've done," he said.