The Queen’s Baton Relay is coming to Bellingen on Thursday February 1 in the lead-up to the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast in April.
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In Bellingen Shire, it will feature 11 baton bearers and a community celebration in Maam Gaduying Park from 12.30pm.
All roads where the baton is to be carried will be closed to traffic for the duration of the relay event as follows:
1.48pm Starts at St Marys Primary School and travels to Bellingen Public School on Lovell Street (via Park and Bowra Streets)
From Bellingen Public School the baton travels along William Street, turning left into Oak Street where it will then make its way down Hyde Street
2:11pm Arrives at Maam Gaduying Park
Ten minute stop to include Welcome to Country from Dylan Kelly accompanied by dancers from Bellingen High School.
2.21pm Baton heads east along the Waterfall Way
2.32pm Baton arrives at Bellingen High School, which concludes the Bellingen leg.
The celebration in the park will commence at 12.30pm with local identity Ted Greenwood acting as Master of Ceremonies. Entertainment will be provided by students of Bellingen Primary and Bellingen High Schools as well as musicians, Rivers Dance Centre and Kaya Boom drummers and dancers. The park will be decorated for the occasion, and the Bellingen Museum, the Red Cross room and Bellingen Library will be decorated and feature sporting themed displays.
A corridor of sporting teams from the area will be invited to welcome the baton into the park for the official celebration.
Several shops will decorate their windows with a sporting display in the lead up the relay including Roots Records, Bellingen Hardware, Windsong Travel, Bellingen Kitchen Shop, Bellingen Newsagents, Sweet Bellingen, CHESS Bellingen, Bananacoast Community Credit Union and Megs Op Shop and Boutique.
Eleven baton bearers will carry the baton, including eight from the Bellingen Shire: Stephen Glyde, Gavin Hickey, Sheila Guymer, Patsy Green, Tianaha Willson-Baker, Dylan Kelly, Katie Thorn and Peter Tarran, who will each cover a section of about 200 metres.
All are active community members and participate in arts, cultural, sporting, business and emergency services groups and organisations.