Queen’s Baton to pass through towns on Monday

THE 2018 Commonwealth Games Queen’s Baton is passing through Geelong on its way to the Gold Coast, and people have been encouraged to line the streets and cheer on the batonbearers as they make their way through Queenscliff, Torquay and Geelong on Monday February 12.

The Queen’s Baton is scheduled to arrive in Queenscliff on the ferry just before noon. Following short speeches on the stage in Lower Princess Park, the baton will travel through the borough along Hesse Street, King Street, Flinders Street and the Bellarine Highway.

The 15 batonbearers in the Queenscliff leg are George Abel, John Reginald Beazley, Meagan Canaway, Bianca Chatfield, Jacquie Johnston, Tom Limb, Molly McKenzie, Richelle Olsen, Victoria Potter, Gail Rodgers, Barbara Shalders, Sienna Stewart, Kellie Whitehead, Martin Wilson and Suzanne Winton.

In Torquay, the relay will start at Torquay College in Eton Road at 2.50pm, and is scheduled to arrive at Point Danger at about 3.40pm.

A free community celebration will be held from 3pm at Point Danger, where Surf Coast Shire mayor David Bell will greet the final batonbearer: Bellbrae swimming star and 2017 Surf Coast Shire Young Citizen of the Year Phoebe Mitchell.

The other batonbearers in Torquay are Lucinda Hateley, Shari Livingston, Daniel O’Shea, Marty Maher, Aurelia Kemp, Tony Strahan, Aileen Kettle, Peter Doyle, Cara Honeychurch, Cameron McFarlane, Clyde Sefton, Laurel Ling, Christopher Hair, Don Wagstaff, Mike Martin, Janet Jones, and Desley McKnight.

The baton will then head to Geelong, starting at Rippleside Park at 4.50pm and finishing in the hands of Cats legend Cameron Ling at the Eastern Beach sea baths at 5.30pm.

The Queen’s Baton will finish its journey on the Gold Coast on April 4.

For more details of the streets and batonbearers, head to gc2018.com/qbr.