Big Crowd Welcomes Queen's Baton Relay

The 21 Batonbearers were chosen by the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Corporation after a community nomination program which selected people of all abilities from all walks of life in recognition of the inspiration they have provided to others.  Many of the Batonbearers were from the City of Rockingham, with others drawn from neighbouring areas.

The first Batonbearer, Terry Howson, took the Baton across to Penguin Island for photos with some of our cutest residents.

From Mersey Point the Baton was carried along Arcadia Drive. 

The convoy then relocated to the Esplanade for the final stage of the Rockingham leg. 

At the community event in Churchill Park, where a large crowd welcomed the baton to Rockingham, Mayor Barry Sammels spoke about the unifying nature of sport, and the City’s pride in being selected as a Celebration Community.

“I know I speak on behalf of everyone in the City of Rockingham when I say how proud we are to have been chosen as one of the celebration communities, and we appreciate the opportunity to showcase our unique coastline and wildlife to the world”.

“We are now forever part of the longest relay in history, covering a distance of 230,000 kilometres in 288 days from Buckingham Palace to the Gold Coast.”

“The City of Rockingham is immensely proud to have played our part, and we now pass the Baton onto the next celebration community with our compliments, and our best wishes.”

Approximately 3,800 Batonbearers will cover more than one million steps to take the Baton all around Australia to its final destination on the Gold Coast on 4 April 2018 for the commencement of the 21st Commonwealth Games.