Standing Stones 
Great Britain has hundreds of mysterious stone circles and they are found, too, in Britany, in coastal France - but the Australian Standing Stones in Glen Innes are probably the first of their kind built anywhere in the world for 3500 years.
They are also unique in the southern hemisphere and reflect Glen Innes's heritage where the first settlers, largely Scots, arrived in 1838.
The Stones are the official national monument to Australia's Celtic pioneers and venue for the annual Australian Celtic Festival.
The ancient Celts raised stones as calendars to mark the seasons - when to sow, when to harvest - and they later developed religious significance. Strange myths and legends surround the stones in Europe and while no such claims are made for the Australian Standing Stones, some visitors have felt a powerful, spiritual, influence as they walked through the array.
The Australian Standing Stones comprise 40 granite monoliths. Of these, there is a circle of 24 stones representing 24 hours of the day, three central stones, four cardinal stones marking true north, east, south and west, and seven stones marking summer and winter solstices, the longest and shortest days of the year.
Begin at 3 central Stones
We begin the tour in the centre of the array at the small survey marker and the three central stones...
Of the three stones:
- The stone closest to the survey marker is the Australis Stone, No 31, for all Australians and symbolising the link between the old and new worlds.
- The stone on the northern side of the marker is the Gaelic Stone, No 35, for Scotland, Ireland and Isle of Man.
- And the stone on the marker's southern side is the Brythonic Stone,No. 28, for Wales, Cornwall and Brittany.
Finding Southern Cross
- Viewed from above, the five "stars" of the Southern Cross are formed by the four cardinal stones - Nos. 1, 22, 13, 30 marking north, south, east and west - and the Melling family Stone, No 17, inside the circle.
- Viewed also from above, those four cardinal stones and the circle of 24 stones form the Celtic or Ionic Cross, the symbol of the early Christian Church and still used on Roman Catholic Churches today.
Marking the solstices
- From the marker in the centre of the array, look to the northeast through the avenue of six stones, Nos. 7,6,5, 8,9,10 - that alignment with the sun's beams mark the dawn of the winter solstice.
- From the same position, look to the southeast, to the right of the Melling or No. 17 Stone, for the alignment and shadows cast for the dawn of the summer solstice.
- Again from the marker, look to the west, beyond the Gaelic Stone,No 35, and immediately to the right of Stone 34 for the alignment and shadows for the winter solstice sunset.
- Then look southwest, through the Australis Stone, No. 31, and Brythonic Stone,No 28, to the Ritchie family or No 27 Stone for the alignment and shadows for the summer solstice sunset.
Cornish,Welsh, Irish Stones
- To the west of the central Gaelic Stone,No. 35, and on the edge of the circle is the Cornish Stone,No. 33.
- Looking south from the marker, the distinctive, flat stone, beyond the stone marking true south, No. 22, is the Gorsedd Stone,No. 40, requested by the Welsh and Cornish.
When these communities held Bardic festivals, winners or "bards" were installed on a stone stage something like this Gorsedd Stone. Today,Welsh choirs gather around the stone for performances during the Australian Celtic Festival.
- To the east of the Gorsedd Stone, the tall, squarish stone, weightiest of the Australian Standing Stones at 38 tonnes, is the Irish Stone,No. 39. Observe on the square edges an inscription in the Ogham language, one of the first written languages, consisting of lines, short, long or sloping.
The inscription translates in Gaelic as: Gleann Maqi Aongusa, "the Glen of the Sons of Angus", or, more simply, Glen Innes.
Beyond...Tynwald Hill
- Beyond the Ogham Stone is a sign marking Tynwald Hill. The Manx Parliament, "Tynwald" is the longest continually serving Parliament in the World.
- On Tynwald Hill is a "Wall of History" being created with stones from historical sites from all over the Celtic world. Twenty five sites have been reserved for a stone from each of the 25 original stock runs taken up in 1838/9 in the Glen Innes area.
