ANZAB - Australian and New Zealand Association of Bellringers

Photo of bellringers in action

The Australian and New Zealand Association of Bellringers was formed in 1962 to promote the art of change ringing in our two countries. There are currently around 400 members who ring at more than 70 bell towers throughout Australia and New Zealand.

Non-ringers might like this introduction to bellringing. Groups interested in a tower tour, or a guest speaker are invited to contact our Regional Contacts in the first instance. Ringers and potential ringers can contact our association's office bearers or local towers and ringers.

Updated: 5 September, 2026

vale Rei Ngatai

Rei Ngatai

I am very sad to let you know that Rei Ngatai died today, 5th September.

Rei learned to ring at Old St Paul's Wellington in 1979. Her BellBoard record is here. She rang one peal being the first Maori to do so. The footnote to the peal notes that she was about to take up a job in London and her QP record shows she rang there between 1988 and 1995.

Philippa Bowron

Handbell Practices

Mini bells (shown) work well with complete beginners

We know of two regular handbell practices open to anyone, and have created a Handbells page detailing them. Find it under the drop down menu "Tower & Rings", alongside the Tower Directory. If you have a handbell practice that is open to anyone, let the webmasters know about it.

Belinda Keir sent this report from the August practice in Sydney.

We had a lovely afternoon with nine people attending. Four ringers with varying amounts of experience on handbells rang Rusty Walters' bells. Another four people were total novices who had seen a notice in the St James pew sheet and turned up for a look. I worked with this group using mini bells (see photo) and reading from cheat sheets. The little bells turned out to be ideal for people handling bells for over an hour and for the very first time, and particularly for one person who had a hand injury. By the end they were happily ringing plain hunt minor.

A third activity was ringing eBells with the “Handbell Stadium” simulator which people found interesting and which gives another avenue to pursue change ringing in hand.

A Peal with Footnotes

The Peal Band with Bill Perrins second from left

The peal rung at Christ Church St Laurence Sydney on Saturday 29th August is notable for its large number of footnotes. Phil Goodyer organised the peal to mark the 50th anniversary of the first peal rung at Christ Church St Laurence, the first peal he conducted.

A footnote that caught my attention was "100th 1st peal ringer for a peal". Checking with Bill Perrins he confirmed that there are now 100 different people in whose first peal he has rung, including himself in that list, in his first peal in October 1964.

Bill wrote: I hadn't kept track of such things at all but Pealbase does provide the statistic and I noticed a couple of years ago that I was up around 97. Fairly quickly I snapped up Marion Brown and Cassandra Olive from Hobart. Because of some surgery earlier this year I had to withdraw from what turned out to be Alan Cutter's first peal but Philip's rerun of the CCSL peal provided an opportunity with Richard Winkler in the band. And so it turned out at the second attempt. It was gratifying that Richard came in at number 100 as I had a hand in his early lessons at St Mark's.

Bill added: Mainly first pealers are the only one in a band. I think my record would be four in the first peal at Castlereagh in April 2003. Of those four, only Thomas went on to ring any more peals. I can't equal Rusty's five in the local peal of Bob Minor at St Philip's on ANZAC Day 1986.

Deryn Griffiths

Bridgetown Ringing Weekend 2026

A colourful photo in an open garage
Two of the SW locals (Liz and Zelda) tenoring and trebling to PB Doubles

The 2026 Ringing Weekend was our most successful for numbers yet. A total of 23 ringers attended (not all at the same time); most gratifiyingly including all seven of the recently-formed SW Ringers group - Liz, Mark, Ella, Edward, Zelda, Corinne and myself. Good progress was made by all of the recent recruits to the Alphabet Ring, with Ella ringing her first quarter away from cover, Liz and Zelda trebling to Doubles, Edward ringing inside and Mark (who has only ever rung once before) covering to Doubles. Five quarter peals were rung including a compliment to Mike's uncle, who will be 100 on 1st September. Much socialising including two meals 'out' and tea, coffee (and other beverages), board and card games as well. Corinne, coordinated ALL of the eating, whether 'out' or at the venue and a good time was had by all!

The SW Ringers Group consists of people living south and west of Bunbury. One is an ex St Hilda's ringer. We are aiming for a monthly practice on the Alphabet Ring, with less frequent trips to Bunbury, the nearest full-size ring.

Adam Beer
1 September 2026

October Ringing Events

As has been common in recent years, there are lots of ringing events in ANZAB this October. Please see the diary (left) for details including dates and contact/registration for each.

Sydney Ringing School
Advanced Ringing Weekend in Hobart
Youth Training Event in Goulburn
12 Bell Weekend in Sydney
Armidale 30th Anniversary Weekend
Wellington Two Island Cluster Meeting

Which will you attend?

ANZAB CPR Training and First Aid Assistance

ANZAB offers funding to all towers for ringers to train in Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and First Aid, to a maximum of two ANZAB members per tower. Each tower is also being offered a free poster providing details of CPR.

as shown on BellBoard

see other performance links on the
Peals & Quarters page

Updated: 4 September 2026

Sydney. St Philip's (Church Hill)
Wednesday practice cancelled, 9 September. Wednesday Practices resume 23 September.

Rosemeadow. Our Lady Help of Christians
Ordination Service, Saturday 12 September. Contact: