The Australian Standing Stones in Glen Innes are a cultural monument that celebrates Australia’s Celtic heritage. They are composed of 38 granite stones, each around 3.5 metres tall, and mark the seasonal solstices and equinoxes, designed as a calendar.
They were created in 1992 as a national monument to honor the Celtic peoples, including the Scots, Irish, Welsh, Cornish, Manx, Bretons, and others. The first stone was raised by the local Tug o’ War team, with a bottle of whisky ceremonially poured in. Buried beneath the first stone are emblems from each of the Celtic nations.
Sword in the Stone
There are other things to look at than just the standing stones. A shiny silver sword protrudes from a stone, from the tale of the sword in the stone and a cornerstone of Arthurian mythology 
. The stone has a plaque titled Excalibur, however, this is a confusion or mix of two stories – Sword in the Stone and Excalibur.
Sword in the Stone is the sword pulled from a stone by Arthur to prove his right to the throne and symbolising destiny, a simple and plain sword with no magical properties. Excalibur is the magical sword given to Arthur by the Lady of the Lake, symbolising his kingship and power.
The plaque has with the following text:
Excalibur
He who so ever pulleth the sword from this stone, shall be endowed with Great Knowledge and Wisdom
Ogham Stone
Ogham Stone looks like another standing stone, away from the rest of the stones. Ogham Stone displays markings, engraved lines of the old Irish Ogham script (pronounced O’am). It is a language of stone inscriptions during 500 to 1000AD. The markings are read from the bottom up on the left edge, then top down on the right edge.
The engraved lines on the left spell out GLEANN MAQI AONGUSA, which translates to GLEN OF THE SONS OF ANGUS (INNES). The right side spells out GLEN INNES.
It is an interesting phrase, with the stone located in Glen Innes. Innes can be derived from the Gaelic personal name AONGUSA , the modern form is Angus. There is also the Five Glens of Angus, highland glens in the western portion of the Angus region in Scotland.
Gorsedd Stone
The Bards (poets and musicians) of Wales, Cornwall, and Brittany, stand on the Gorsedd Stone at Eisteddfod festivals and ceremonies. Gorsedd (Gorsedh) means throne in the Welsh language. In opening ceremonies, a symbolic call is made from the Gorsedd Stone to the four quarters of the Nation, Is There Peace? Those gathered then affirm Peace!
In Welsh: A oes Heddwch? Heddwch!
In Cornish: Eus Kres? Kres!
Crofters Cottage
Modelled after a traditional dwelling found on small mixed farms in Scotland, the Crofters Cottage stands out next to the more modern structures next to it (the toilets). A crofter was a tenant farmer who lived and worked in the rugged Highlands of Scotland. The cottage is not just a photo opportunity, it also services coffee and cakes… unless you arrive 15 minutes after they close. They close at 2pm on weekends, and 3pm Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.
Revisited in 2025
We first visited in 2023, stopping for a break travelling from Sydney to Brisbane in late December. It was hot, and in no way felt like the lands of the Celtics. We have thought of coming back and staying nearby so we can attend the Standing Stones Parkrun that is held here every Saturday – the highest altitude parkrun in Australia . We returned again in 2025, cooler in September but not Saturday morning so no Parkrun. The day was sunny and beautiful, far more pleasurable temperatures than our previous visit. Although, we had a couple of nights that fell just below zero.
In the 20-odd months between, the toilet facilities had been upgraded significantly. There is also a small playground next to it, more water fountains, and some bench seats.
Highlands Skywalk
A walk or a drive from Standing Stones is the Highlands Skywalk 
with views around Glen Innes. The views were always there, but now with the addition of the viewing platforms.
