General Club News

Ballina RSL Club Ltd.....Proudly Celebrating the arrival of the Commonwealth Games Queens Baton Relay to Ballina. For full event details visit www.ballinacouncil.com.au

Ballina Shire Council announces route for Melbourne 2006 Queen’s Baton Relay
Ballina will provide an integral link in the world’s longest, most inclusive relay, when it welcomes the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games Queen’s Baton to the North Coast on 30 January 2006.

Mayor of Ballina Shire, Phillip Silver unveiled the street level route for the local sector of the relay today – which includes travel through Casino, Lismore and Alstonville to Ballina then on to Lennox Head on the 31 January.

With only 69 days to go until the Opening Ceremony of the XVIII Commonwealth Games, Phillip Silver described the event as a unique opportunity for locals to join in the celebrations for the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games and for the region to ride on the anticipation and excitement already surrounding this international festival of sport and culture.

“Significant planning has been undertaken to ensure the relay is a remarkable success and Ballina Shire has lots to celebrate. We look forward to the months of planning, resulting in an event that all residents of our beautiful region will enjoy and recall in years to come with great pleasure,” said Phillip Silver. He also requests that all past Australian sporting representatives contact the event coordinator on 66863484 in regards to the official ceremony and celebrations, which will be held at Fawcett Park on January 30 from 2pm.

“The Queen’s Baton Relay is an opportunity for the region to take centre stage as the world’s attention is turned to Australia, in the days leading up to the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games.”

The Melbourne 2006 Queen’s Baton enters the region from Coffs Harbour travelling via Lismore & Alstonville. The day’s celebrations culminate in an evening ceremony to take place at Fawcett Park in Ballina.

Several high-profile personalities and members of the community have been selected to participate in the relay, each awarded the honour of carrying the baton for one leg of its 21 500 km journey across Australia. The Ballina Shire the local relay runners include:

Monday 30 January 2006

Surname First Name From Running section
Battese Kane Thomas Lennox Head Lismore, NSW
Beck David Ballina Ballina, NSW
Brown Richard Denis Ballina Ballina, NSW
Collyer Gayle Allison East Wardell Lismore, NSW
Hamilton Vicki Cara Alstonville Alstonville, NSW
Inger Gary Alstonville Casino, NSW
Keane Joe Ballina East Lismore, NSW
Kirk Timothy William Lennox Head Lismore, NSW
Leuckel Stephen John Ballina Lismore, NSW
MacRae Scott Knockrow Ballina, NSW
Morgan Idrys Robin Ballina Alstonville, NSW
Noble John Alstonville Alstonville, NSW
Norton John Goonellabah Ballina, NSW
O'Connor Patrick James Ballina Lismore, NSW
Shepherd Ron Ballina Ballina, NSW
Taylor James Ballina Lismore, NSW
Tilley Stan Ballina Ballina, NSW
Vidler Darrel James Lennox Head Lismore, NSW
Woods John Ballina Lismore, NSW

Tuesday 31 January 2006

Battista Rebekka ElizabethGoonellabah Ballina, NSW
Everett Kyle Skennars Head Byron Bay, NSW
Hallmann Geoffrey Peter Goonellabah Lennox Head, NSW
Mackney Steve Goonellabah Byron Bay, NSW
Rodda Lola Elizabeth Goonellabah Lennox Head, NSW
Silver Phillip Alstonville Ballina, NSW
Wills Paul Andrew Ballina Ballina, NSW

Further information regarding the location and timings for individual relay runners will be released to media the day prior and will also appear on the official games website: www.melbourne2006.com.au.

“More than 500 communities across Australia will unite in a unique and very special event beginning in January next year. For runners and spectators alike the Queen’s Baton Relay will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be part of sporting and cultural history, as the world’s longest, most inclusive relay commences its journey across Australia to the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games,” the Federal Minister for the Arts and Sport, Senator Rod Kemp, said today.

The Melbourne 2006 Queen’s Baton commenced its epic 366-day journey to the Games from Buckingham Palace, London, on 14 March 2005 and is visiting all 71 nations and territories of the Commonwealth.

Over the course of this groundbreaking 180 000km globally odyssey, the baton is visiting every continent and crossing every ocean. It is being carried by over 50,000 relay runners.