AS Scotland prepared to vote on their future, Bruce Spence was inspired to celebrate the occasion and his ancestry.
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Decked out on his splendid kilt, the Taree resident gave a stirring performance on the bagpipes in front of onlookers yesterday at the Greater Taree City Council chambers, on the same day as the Scots hit the polls to vote in their referendum on whether to become an independent country.
Mr Spence happens to be a second generation Scotsman, with his grandfather immigrating to New Zealand from Northern Scotland in 1905.
A bagpipes player since 1947, he was born in New Zealand in 1933 and moved to Australia in 1952.
The truly Trans-Tasman resident said he was was inspired to perform on the same day as the Scottish Referendum.
"The idea occurred to me when the referendum started gaining momentum, and I thought it would be good to come down and play at the council chambers where the flags are," he said.
And his answer to the big question of yes or no for Scotland?
"I'm not here for yes and not here for no, I'm here to make a personal, cultural and historical statement," he said.
"Scotland has been dealing with its future and past lately and will continue to do so after the vote."
Mr Spence said whatever the outcome, the referendum was an historic event which should be celebrated.
"It is a worldwide event, and it's really a cultural and historical affirmation of the past and future, and issues will be dealt with not in one fell swoop but over time," he said.
Mr Spence said the future of Scotland would continue to be decided long after the vote.
"Whether it is yes or no, even so the issues will continue and have to be dealt with, and that's the fact of history," he said.
"There are a whole lot of issues in economics that have to be dealt with and the question of North Sea Oil, as well as the issues of providing for and funding the welfare structure.
"And the dealing of these issues is going to have to be tackled, whatever the vote is."
The man so proud of his Scottish heritage wasn't sure which road the people of Scotland would take.
"This vote is a real cliffhanger and in Scotland there are very strong opinions both ways," he said.
