Life's a beach for Queen's Baton Relay

Queen's Baton Relay

3 Apr 2018

Kilometres of the city’s iconic coastline have been on show to the world today as the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games (GC2018) Queen’s Baton Relay (QBR) travelled from Coolangatta up to the heart of the city, Surfers Paradise.

QBR visits Gold Coast

The Queen’s Baton arrived shortly after dawn to the southern tip of Queensland’s coast in spectacular fashion, winched safely down from a LifeFlight helicopter. Then, from Kirra to Currumbin, Palm Beach and Burleigh, sand, sun and surf took centre stage, showcasing the beaches from which the reclaimed plastic was gathered to make the leading edge of the Queen’s Baton.

Standing outside the GC2018 Beach Volleyball venue ready to take on her Batonbearer role just days before she takes on the Games, Taliqua Clancy was pumped.

QNR visits Gold Coast

“I’m feeling really excited. To make history and be in the first Beach Volleyball team, but now to carry the Baton, it’s a really big honour. Now butterflies are starting to kick in [for the Games] but I’m feeling really good. We’ve done the hard work, so we’re excited to get started now.
“I think the lifestyle [of the Gold Coast] represents everything to do with sport and with the beach, it definitely represents what the Gold Coast is all about.”

At his home beach of Kirra, it was an emotional occasion for longtime surf life saving volunteer Scott Byrnes OAM.

QBR visits Coolangatta

“It’s a great honour to represent surf life saving and all the different members in the Surf Life Saving Association and Kirra over the years. Kirra is one of the best surfing beaches in all of Australia.
“It does feel very, very special considering what I’ve done over the years and the input put into the Surf Life Saving Association. I’m also very honoured because my father’s ashes were spread at this point. This is an emotional day for me.”

With her trademark florescent surfboard in one hand and the Queen’s Baton in the other, surfer Piper Harrison took the Relay from the beach at Burleigh Heads back to the streets where it was skated along by professional skater Jack Fardell.

QBR visits Burleigh Heads

The Queen's Baton's journey continued to Robina, with a visit to another GC2018 venue, before making its way to the iconic Surfers Paradise, and an epic performance by The Beautiful Girls who headlined the QBR on the Beach Celebration.

Tomorrow on day 388 of the QBR, the Queen’s Baton will arrive at the Opening Ceremony of the Games, marking the conclusion of an extraordinary event and the start of another.

QBR visits Gold Coast