The Legendary Ghan to play key role in Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games Queen’s Baton Relay

Great Southern Railway, owners and operators of The Legendary Ghan will form an integral part of celebrations for the Melbourne 2006 Queen’s Baton Relay when it transports the baton on Monday 6 February 2006.

The Hon. Peter Costello, MP, Treasurer of the Commonwealth of Australia, unveiled the route for the Australian leg of the world’s longest, most inclusive relay at a media conference in Melbourne today.

The Melbourne 2006 Queen’s Baton will visit more than 500 Australian communities and be carried by 3500 relay runners in the final 50 days of its epic journey from Buckingham Palace to the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games.

The Ghan is one of 45 alternate modes of transport selected to carry the Queen’s Baton on its international journey and will receive the baton on Monday 6 February.

The baton will travel on The Ghan from Alice Springs to Darwin with whistle stops in Tennant Creek and Katherine, providing the opportunity for The Ghan to accommodate the relay crew overnight.

Great Southern Railway, Chief Executive Officer, Tony Braxton-Smith said, “He is delighted The Ghan has been granted the honour of transporting the baton. It’s a great way to focus attention on the Australian landscapes unique character, a great train journey and some fabulous destinations.”

“Planning is already well under way to celebrate the transport of the baton on The Ghan. The Ghan is internationally recognised as one of the great Australian train journeys. We are very proud to be able to contribute in this way. The Ghan has become an Australian icon and its involvement is fitting for the occasion”, he added.

The Queen’s Baton arrives at its 71st and final destination, Australia, on 24 January 2006. The baton will then travel 21 500 kilometres across Australia – 9700 by road, 9300 by air, 1000 by sea and 1500 by rail.
The baton will begin the national leg with a two day relay around Sydney, coinciding with the city’s spectacular Australia Day celebrations. It will then visit every state and territory and every capital city as it concludes its historic one year and one day journey across the Commonwealth.

“All Australians can be proud of the fact that this Queen’s Baton Relay is the first to travel to all 71 nations of the Commonwealth and we look forward to communities across our nation giving it a huge welcome as it passes through their towns and cities,” said Treasurer Costello.

“With the eyes of the world looking on via the internet and news media, all Australian communities en route have a chance to showcase their region’s unique cultural and geographic attributes to the world.”

Victorian Premier Steve Bracks joined the Treasurer at the announcement in Melbourne.

“The 50 day countdown to the games will be an exciting time for all Australians. As spectators and athletes begin to gather in Melbourne, the Queen’s Baton will be travelling across the nation enabling people far and wide to get involved. The Victorian Government is encouraging schools and community organisations across the nation to join in the relay celebrations and share some of the special once-in-a-lifetime moments,” said Premier Bracks.

Along with relays through towns and cities, community festivities will also include daily ‘lunch stop’ visits to local schools and sporting facilities and evening ceremonies to officially welcome the baton’s arrival.

With thousands of people watching from the roadside and millions more watching across the world, the baton will be carried across Australia by 3500 relay runners and on more than 45 different modes of transport, including by boat across Sydney Harbour, Bass Strait and the Whitsunday Islands and on The Ghan railway from Alice Springs to Darwin.
The Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games Queen’s Baton Relay commenced from Buckingham Palace on 14 March 2005 with Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II passing the baton to Australian icon, supermodel and businesswoman, Elle Macpherson – the first of many thousands of relay runners to carry the baton across the globe.

When the Melbourne 2006 Queen’s Baton arrives at the opening ceremony of the XVIII Commonwealth Games on 15 March 2006, it will have traveled more than 180 000 kilometres, across every continent and over every ocean and for the first time, visited every Commonwealth nation. The baton is currently in Nigeria, the fourteenth of its 71 Commonwealth destinations.

Also unveiled today was the official anthem of the Melbourne 2006 Queen’s Baton Relay. ‘I am Strong’, performed by four-piece Melbourne group, NORTH, is a moving tribute to success in the face of adversity. The original power ballad has been recorded especially for the relay.

The Australian leg of the Queens’ Baton Relay is funded by the Australian Government and is a joint initiative of the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games Corporation, and the relay’s Presenting Partner, Telstra; Tourism Partner, Tourism Australia; and sponsors, National Australia Bank and Qantas.

Details of the exact route the relay will travel throughout Australia and information about celebration activities will be released later in the year.

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For information about the Queen’s Baton Relay visit www.melbourne2006.com.au