Douglas McFarland, the youngest son of DUTK.com owners, John and Veronica McFarland, has been recognised for his contribution to Arts, Culture and Entertainment by Gosford City Council in the 2010 Australia Day Awards.

The man behind Down Under the Kilt; Reel Men Do Dance and The Highland Warriors, was first nominated for his outstanding contribution to Arts, Culture and Entertainment and today announced as the winner of this award.

In 2009, Douglas took his passion within Highland Dancing and Scottish Culture to new heights. With his Highland Warriors, an all male dance group, Douglas used technique and discipline to offer these boys an alternate physical conditioning method. He continued his drive to conduct and host the International Highland Dancing Championships of Australia, heavily funding the project. In conjunction with this he staged the first all male Highland Dance show - Reel Men Do Dance, a show now seen by Highland Dancers all over the World, encouraging young male dancers and dispelling the theory real men don't dance. In November he launched the DVD of this show in the newly established MacGregor Studio, a studio he has self funded to train students in traditional Highland Dancing. He is Chairman of Central Coast Highland Dancing Inc and the Secretary of the Scottish Dancing Association of Australia Associates. Dougie in his spare time contributes to DUTK.com whilst managing a mutli million dollar business for one of Australia's largest retail companies.

This award just stamps the effect Dougie's work is having in the local area. An area that not too long ago didn't know what a kilt or swords were, now fully understands the cultural connection to Scotland and identifies directly through Dougie's performance of traditional dance and embracing of the culture.

All of us here at DUTK.com are very proud of what Dougie has achieved and thankful to Gosford City Council for recognising this.