PREPARATIONS for the arrival of the Queen’s Baton Relay in Gunnedah are almost complete.
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The baton will be carried through Gunnedah on January 31 by 27 local baton bearers as a part of the lead up to the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.
Gunnedah Shire Council (GSC) arts and cultural officer Lauren Mackley said the event will be “very exciting”.
“This will be a great chance for the community as a whole to celebrate an event that doesn’t come around to often,” Ms Mackley said.
“I know that the SES and Winanga-Li are among several community groups getting involved in the day and it will be great to see people from all aspects of the community come together to celebrate.”
Ms Mackley said the relay will stop to visit schools along it’s journey through town.
“The relay officially starts at Gunnedah South Public School and as it travels on it’s route it will stop at Gunnedah High School and Kitchener Park for students from multiple schools to experience the event as well,” she said.
“After it’s finished at Kitchener, the relay will continue on to Wolseley Park for the official celebrations at about 1.30pm.”
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Ms Mackley is encouraging everyone in the community to attend the celebration.
“People are more than welcome to watch the relay along it’s route and then come and join us for the celebration,” she said.
“We are really hoping we can get people to form a guard of honour at Brocks Court for when Ron McLean completes the last leg of the relay.
“Once the baton completes it’s route through town the baton bearers will receive a medallion from us to mark the occasion.”
Ms Mackley said there will be time for school students to attend the celebrations after school.
“So at this stage the celebration runs from 1.30 until about 4.30 so hopefully there will be time for them to come and join in after school,” she said.
“It will be coming to some schools throughout the day and along with the celebration it should be a great first day back for our students.”
Ms Mackley said the event will be a culmination of work from a variety of different departments within GSC.
“It’s been a huge team effort,” she said.
“Everyone has been on board from our road staff to us behind the scenes, everyone has really pitched in to make this happen.”