The Kingdom of Lochac is one of twenty "Kingdoms" or regions, of the

Society for Creative Anachronism The Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA) is an international living history group with the aim of studying and recreating mainly Medieval European cultures and their histories before the 17th century. A quip often used within the SCA describes ...

(SCA) - an international organization dedicated to researching and recreating aspects of the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...

. Comprising Australia,

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

and their Antarctic territories, it is made up of almost 40 local groups. It is currently ruled by King Theuderic and Queen Engelin. The kingdom takes its name from a

Dutch Dutch commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands * Dutch people () * Dutch language () Dutch may also refer to: Places * Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States * Pennsylvania Dutch Country People E ...

term for Australia dating from 1630.

General

The group has around 2000 members, and is one of Australia's oldest

living history Living history is an activity that incorporates historical tools, activities and dress into an interactive presentation that seeks to give observers and participants a sense of stepping back in time. Although it does not necessarily seek to ree ...

groups, having started in 1980.Fennel, Tim. "They love the Knight life" HQ Magazine, Sep/Oct 1995, p63. The

Australasia Australasia is a region that comprises Australia, New Zealand and some neighbouring islands in the Pacific Ocean. The term is used in a number of different contexts, including geopolitically, physiogeographically, philologically, and ecologi ...

n branch includes Australia,

and

Antarctica Antarctica () is Earth's southernmost and least-populated continent. Situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean, it contains the geographic South Pole. Antarctica is the fifth-largest cont ...

Taylor, Andrew. "Forsooth, A Fair Damsel, Mate". The Sun Herald, 12 August p 34

History

The SCA in Australia was initiated with a local SCA-inspired group, The Society for the Current Middle Ages (SCMA) holding its first event in November 1980. The Sydney-based SCMA joined the U.S.-based SCA in 1981. In New Zealand, an SCA-based group first appeared in

Christchurch Christchurch ( ; mi, Ōtautahi) is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Canterbury Region. Christchurch lies on the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula on Pegasus Bay. The Avon Rive ...

in 1982. Other cities in both countries formed groups, but the New Zealand groups became part of the Kingdom of Caid, while Australia became the Crown Principality (and later the Principality) of Lochac under The West Kingdom. Lochac became a kingdom its own right in 2002, and the New Zealand-based groups joined in 2003.Willis, Robyn. "Back to the age of Chivalry". The Sun Herald, 14 October 1990. P 155

Local groups

The different branches of the group are known within the group by their SCA names; for instance

Parramatta Parramatta () is a suburb and major Central business district, commercial centre in Greater Western Sydney, located in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located approximately west of the Sydney central business district on the ban ...

in Sydney is known as Stowe-on-the-Wowlde, the Blue Mountains is known as the Shire of Dismal Fogs, and greater Sydney itself is the Barony of Rowany. Other groups include: *Barony of Aneala -

Perth, Western Australia Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth i ...

*Barony of Ildhafn -

Auckland Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The most populous urban area in the country and the fifth largest city in Oceania, Auckland has an urban population of about ...

, New Zealand *Barony of Innilgard -

South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...

and the

Northern Territory The Northern Territory (commonly abbreviated as NT; formally the Northern Territory of Australia) is an Australian territory in the central and central northern regions of Australia. The Northern Territory shares its borders with Western Aust ...

. *Barony of Krae Glas - South Eastern Melbourne,

Victoria, Australia Victoria is a state in southeastern Australia. It is the second-smallest state with a land area of , the second most populated state (after New South Wales) with a population of over 6.5 million, and the most densely populated state in ...

*Barony of Mordenvale -

Newcastle, New South Wales Newcastle ( ; Awabakal: ) is a metropolitan area and the second most populated city in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It includes the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie local government areas, and is the hub of the Greater Newcastle area ...

, Australia *Barony of Politachopolis - Canberra, ACT, Australia *Barony of Riverhaven - North and Western parts of

Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Queensland, and the third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of approximately 2.6 million. Brisbane lies at the centre of the South ...

Queensland, Australia ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

*Barony of Rowany - Metropolitan Sydney and Western Country NSW,

New South Wales, Australia ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

*Barony of St Florian de la Riviere -

South and Redland Shire Council, Queensland, Australia *Barony of Southron Gaard -

, New Zealand *Barony of Stormhold - Inner and west of

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...

, Victoria, Australia *Barony of Ynys Fawr -

Tasmania ) , nickname = , image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdi ...

, Australia *Canton of Abertridwr - Part of Aneala *Canton of Cairn Fell - Ballarat, Australia *Canton of Cluain - Part of Ildhafn, New Zealand *Canton of Stegby - Part of River Haven, Southern Darling Downs, Queensland, Australia *Canton of Stowe on the Wowld - Part of Rowany, Australia *College of Blessed Herman the Cripple -

Adelaide University The University of Adelaide (informally Adelaide University) is a public research university located in Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1874, it is the third-oldest university in Australia. The university's main campus is located on N ...

the first of the Colleges registered in Lochac *College of Saint Aldhelm -

Australian National University The Australian National University (ANU) is a public research university located in Canberra, the capital of Australia. Its main campus in Acton encompasses seven teaching and research colleges, in addition to several national academies an ...

*College of Saint Andronicus -

University of Canberra The University of Canberra (UC) is a public research university with its main campus located in Bruce, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. The campus is within walking distance of Westfield Belconnen, and from Canberra's Civic Centre. U ...

*College of Saint Bartholomew -

University of Melbourne The University of Melbourne is a public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in Victoria. Its main campus is located in Parkville, an inner suburb no ...

*College of Saint Basil the Great -

University of Western Australia The University of Western Australia (UWA) is a public research university in the Australian state of Western Australia. The university's main campus is in Perth, the state capital, with a secondary campus in Albany and various other facilitie ...

*College of Saint Christina the Astonishing - Flinders University *College of Saint Crispin - University of Newcastle *College of Saint Gildas the Wise -

University of Tasmania The University of Tasmania (UTAS) is a public research university, primarily located in Tasmania, Australia. Founded in 1890, it is Australia's fourth oldest university. Christ College, one of the university's residential colleges, first prop ...

*College of Saint Monica -

Monash University Monash University () is a public research university based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Named for prominent World War I general Sir John Monash, it was founded in 1958 and is the second oldest university in the state. The university h ...

*College of Saint Ursula -

University of Sydney The University of Sydney (USYD), also known as Sydney University, or informally Sydney Uni, is a public research university located in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and is one of the country's ...

*Shire of Adora -

Illawarra The Illawarra is a coastal region in the Australian state of New South Wales, nestled between the mountains and the sea. It is situated immediately south of Sydney and north of the South Coast region. It encompasses the two cities of Wollongo ...

, New South Wales, Australia *Shire of Boesenburg -

Bunbury, Western Australia Bunbury is a coastal city in the Australian state of Western Australia, approximately south of the state capital, Perth. It is the state's third most populous city after Perth and Mandurah, with a population of approximately 75,000. Located a ...

*Shire of Darton -

Wellington Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara or ) is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the second-largest city in New Zealand by metr ...

, New Zealand *Shire of Dismal Fogs -

Blue Mountains, New South Wales The Blue Mountains are a mountainous region and a mountain range located in New South Wales, Australia. The region borders on Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Au ...

*Shire of Dragons Bay - (Perth Southern Suburbs, Western Australia)x

Awards

The society has a number of awards that are given to group members to encourage their skills in historical arts. Examples include: * The Shining Helm - for armour * The Order of the Pelican - for exceptional service and organisational skills * The Order of Chivalry - for martial prowess and chivalry * The Order of the Laurel - Exceptional skill as an artisan, in a specialised area * The Order of Defence - for martial prowess and chivalry in

rapier fencing A rapier () or is a type of sword with a slender and sharply-pointed two-edged blade that was popular in Western Europe, both for civilian use ( dueling and self-defense) and as a military side arm, throughout the 16th and 17th centuries. Imp ...

Events

Rowany Festival

The group's largest event is the Rowany Festival, a week-long Medieval festival that features classes,

tournaments A tournament is a competition involving at least three competitors, all participating in a sport or game. More specifically, the term may be used in either of two overlapping senses: # One or more competitions held at a single venue and concentr ...

, competitions and general revelry. It is held at Easter every year, near Sydney. Amongst SCAdians it is known as "Rowany", except those who live in the Rowany (Sydney) area, where it is known as Festival. The

Festival A festival is an event ordinarily celebrated by a community and centering on some characteristic aspect or aspects of that community and its religion or cultures. It is often marked as a local or national holiday, mela, or eid. A festival ...

has been running since April 1983, is the longest running medieval/living history event in Australia. It has grown to its current size at which 1000 people may attend. It is the largest SCA event in Australia, and is a de facto "National event". Some SCA members were involved in the Crossroads Medieval Village near

Yass, New South Wales Yass () is a town in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia in Yass Valley Council. The name appears to have been derived from an Aboriginal word, "Yarrh" (or "Yharr"), said to mean 'running water'. Yass is located 280 km ...

, and in the past the Rowany Festival has been held there. As it is held over Easter,

Christians Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words '' Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρ ...

generally get together to hold a scheduled Easter Sunday mass. And if

Pesach Passover, also called Pesach (; ), is a major Jewish holiday that celebrates the The Exodus, Biblical story of the Israelites escape from slavery in Egypt, which occurs on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Nisan, the first month of Aviv, or ...

falls at the same time of year, there are often people cooking in accordance with the very special customs that relate to that. Traditionally large battles involving

SCA Heavy Combat SCA armoured combat, or informally heavy combat, is a combat sport developed by the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA) in which participants in protective body armour compete in mock combat, individual tournaments inspired by forms of histor ...

are fought at Rowany Festival that may include up to 300 combatants. Medieval feasts are held by the households participating. A "merchants row", a street of merchants, runs for the whole weekend, as well as a Saturday only market. Typically, the merchants sell arts, crafts and off the peg armour. Rowany Festival has had five different locations. It was held from 1981 to 1997 at Fairholme Park in Wilton. It then moved to Tara Girl Guide camp in Silverdale in Western Sydney from 1998 to 2002, thence to the Crossroads Medieval Village medieval community in Yass. In 2008 it moved to the Glenworth Valley Horse Riding centre at Peats Ridge,

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

, and it has taken place at Camp Wombaroo near to Jellore State Forest since 2014.

Other events

Other large, multi day event activities include ''Canterbury Faire'' held in New Zealand, "Great Northern War" held in Queensland, ''Spring War'' held in Newcastle, "Autumn Gathering" and "Pencampwr" held in Western Australia.