2018 Commonwealth Games Queen's Baton Relay


The 2018 Commonwealth Games Queen's Baton Relay was run from 13 March 2017 until 4 April 2018, prior to the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games. The baton bearer selection process for the Australian segment was announced on 18 October 2017.
As well as touring Australia the schedule included the other 70 Commonwealth Nations.

Organisation

The Queen's Baton Relay was launched on Commonwealth Day, 13 March 2017, on the historic forecourt at Buckingham Palace in London, signalling the official countdown to the start of the Games. Accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh and Prince Edward, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II heralded the start of the relay by placing her 'message to the Commonwealth and its athletes' into the distinctive loop-design Queen's Baton which then set off on its journey around the globe. Her Majesty was accompanied by Louise Martin, President of the Commonwealth Games Federation, Peter Beattie, Chairman of the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Corporation and Yugambeh elders Patricia O'Connor and Ted Williams in the ceremony. The Queen's baton was brought into the stage by Australian Paralympic champion Kurt Fearnley. He started from Marlborough House up The Mall and then into the Forecourt of Buckingham Palace. He was also accompanied by the Band of the Scots Guards, who played by permission of Major General BJ Bathurst, The Major General commanding the Household Division. After the message was placed safely inside the Baton, The Queen handed over the baton to Australian cyclist and Commonwealth and Olympic Games gold medalist Anna Meares. She, along with English track cyclist Victoria Pendleton, then carried the baton around the Queen Victoria Memorial and handed over to the Australian singer Cody Simpson. He then boarded on a Kombi van with the baton and left the place as an indication to the Baton's final destination, Gold Coast.
The baton travelled for 388 days, spending time in every nation and territory of the Commonwealth. The Gold Coast 2018 Queen's Baton Relay was the longest in Commonwealth Games history. Covering 230,000 km over 388 days, the baton made its way through the six Commonwealth regions of Africa, the Americas, the Caribbean, Europe, Asia and Oceania. For the first time in the history of the baton relay, the Queen's Baton was presented at the Commonwealth Youth Games during its sixth edition in 2017 which was held in Nassau, Bahamas. The baton landed on Australian soil on 24 December 2017 and then spent 100 days travelling through Australia.

The Queen's baton

The Queen's baton for the 2018 Commonwealth Games had a distinctive loop design and was made of macadamia wood and recycled plastic sourced from Gold Coast waterways. Its design was inspired by the Queensland's "vibrant spirit and indigenous heritage" and with sustainability. The design of the baton was unveiled on 20 November 2016 at a special ceremony in the Jupiter Gold Coast Hotel. The baton was designed by Alex Wall and Warren Shroeder from the Brisbane-based firm Designworks. At the 2018 Good Design Awards conducted by the Good Design Australia, the baton won the Best Product Sport and Lifestyle award.

International route

Africa

The Queen's Baton travelled in the following countries in Africa:
Sl. No.Nation/TerritoryArrival date
1Sierra Leone15 March 2017
2Ghana18 March 2017
3Rwanda22 March 2017
4Uganda25 March 2017
5Cameroon29 March 2017
6Nigeria1 April 2017
7Kenya5 April 2017
8United Republic of Tanzania8 April 2017
9Seychelles11 April 2017
10Mauritius15 April 2017
11Malawi20 April 2017
12Zambia24 April 2017
13Namibia27 April 2017
14Botswana1 May 2017
15Mozambique4 May 2017
16Eswatini8 May 2017
17Lesotho11 May 2017
18South Africa15 May 2017
19Saint Helena20 May 2017

Caribbean

The Queen's baton traveled in the following countries in the Caribbean:
Sl. No.Nation/TerritoryArrival date
20Trinidad and Tobago28 May 2017
21Grenada31 May 2017
22St Vincent and the Grenadines3 June 2017
23Saint Lucia7 June 2017
24Barbados10 June 2017
25Dominica14 June 2017
26Antigua and Barbuda17 June 2017
27Montserrat21 June 2017
28St Kitts and Nevis24 June 2017
29Anguilla28 June 2017
30British Virgin Islands1 July 2017
31Jamaica5 July 2017
32Turks and Caicos Islands11 July 2017
33Cayman Islands14 July 2017

Americas

The Queen's baton traveled in the following countries in Americas:
Sl. No.Nation/TerritoryArrival date
34The Bahamas18 July 2017
35Bermuda24 July 2017
36Canada27 July 2017
37Belize2 August 2017
38Guyana7 August 2017
39Falkland Islands12 August 2017

Europe

The Queen's baton traveled in the following countries in Europe:
Sl. No.Nation/TerritoryArrival date
40England16 August 2017
41Scotland22 August 2017
42Northern Ireland28 August 2017
43Isle of Man1 September 2017
44Wales4 September 2017
45Guernsey9 September 2017
46Jersey13 September 2017
47Gibraltar17 September 2017
48Malta21 September 2017
49Cyprus25 September 2017

Asia

The Queen's baton traveled in the following countries in Asia:
Sl. No.Nation/TerritoryArrival date
50Pakistan29 September 2017
51India3 October 2017
52Bangladesh9 October 2017
53Sri Lanka12 October 2017
54Malaysia16 October 2017
55Brunei Darussalam21 October 2017
56Singapore25 October 2017

Oceania

The Queen's baton traveled in the following countries in Oceania:
Sl. No.Nation/TerritoryArrival date
57Nauru1 November 2017
58Kiribati3 November 2017
59Niue7 November 2017
60Cook Islands11 November 2017
61Tonga16 November 2017
62Fiji20 November 2017
63Samoa23 November 2017
64Tuvalu28 November 2017
65Papua New Guinea1 December 2017
66Solomon Islands5 December 2017
67Vanuatu9 December 2017
68Norfolk Island15 December 2017
69New Zealand17 December 2017
70Australia24 December 2017

National route

Australian Capital Territory

The Queen's baton traveled in the following places in the Australian Capital Territory:
DatePlaceTransfer
25 January 2018Canberra
26 January 2018Canberra
27 January 2018Canberra to Wagga Wagga

New South Wales

The Queen's baton traveled in the following places in the New South Wales:
DatePlaceTransfer
28 January 2018Wagga Wagga
28 January 2018Narrandera
28 January 2018Griffith
29 January 2018West Wyalong
29 January 2018Forbes
29 January 2018Parkes
30 January 2018Orange
30 January 2018Wellington
30 January 2018Dubbo
31 January 2018Coonabarabran
31 January 2018Gunnedah
31 January 2018Tamworth
1 February 2018Armidale
1 February 2018Bellingen
1 February 2018Coffs Harbour
2 February 2018Macksville
2 February 2018Kempsey
2 February 2018Forster Tuncurry
3 February 2018Newcastle
3 February 2018Gosford
3 February 2018Sydney
4 February 2018Penrith
4 February 2018Sydney Olympic Park
4 February 2018La Perouse
5 February 2018Wollongong
5 February 2018Kiama
5 February 2018Nowra
6 February 2018Batemans BayBatemans Bay to Launceston

Tasmania

The Queen's baton traveled in the following places in Tasmania:
DatePlaceTransfer
7 February 2018Launceston
7 February 2018Devonport
7 February 2018Burnie
8 February 2018Travel Day
9 February 2018Clarence
9 February 2018Glenorchy
9 February 2018HobartHobart to Melbourne

Victoria

The Queen's baton traveled in the following places in Victoria:
DatePlaceTransfer
10 February 2018St Kilda
10 February 2018South Melbourne
10 February 2018Melbourne
10 February 2018Williamstown
10 February 2018Altona
10 February 2018Footscray
11 February 2018Morwell
11 February 2018Warragul
11 February 2018Frankston
12 February 2018Sorrento
12 February 2018Queensclif
12 February 2018Torquay
12 February 2018Geelong
13 February 2018Werribee
13 February 2018Ballarat
13 February 2018Ararat
14 February 2018Bendigo
14 February 2018Shepparton
14 February 2018Wangaratta
15 February 2018Wodonga
15 February 2018Yarrawonga
15 February 2018Echuca
16 February 2018Murrabit
16 February 2018Kerang
16 February 2018Swan Hill
17 February 2018Nyah
17 February 2018Robinvale
17 February 2018MilduraMildura to Renmark Paringa

South Australia

The Queen's baton traveled in the following places in South Australia:
DatePlaceTransfer
18 February 2018Renmark Paringa
18 February 2018Angaston
18 February 2018Glenelg
18 February 2018Adelaide
19 February 2018Coffin Bay
19 February 2018Port Lincoln
20 February 2018Penneshaw
20 February 2018Kingscote
21 February 2018Aldinga
21 February 2018Hahndorf
21 February 2018Lobethal
21 February 2018StirlingAdelaide to Albany

Western Australia

The Queen's baton traveled in the following places in Western Australia:
DatePlaceTransfer
22 February 2018Albany
22 February 2018Denmark
22 February 2018Manjimup
23 February 2018Bridgetown
23 February 2018Bunbury
23 February 2018Rockingham
24 February 2018Rottnest Island
24 February 2018Fremantle
24 February 2018South Perth
24 February 2018Burswood Park
24 February 2018Perth
25 February 2018Kings Park
25 February 2018City Beach
25 February 2018Scarborough
25 February 2018Hillarys
26 February 2018Quinns Rocks
26 February 2018Wanneroo
26 February 2018Guildford
27 February 2018KarrathaKarratha to Alice Springs

Northern Territory

The Queen's baton traveled in the following places in the Northern Territory:
DatePlace
28 February 2018Alice Springs
1 March 2018Alice Springs
1 March 2018Litchfield
2 March 2018Palmerston
2 March 2018Darwin

Queensland

The Queen's baton traveled in the following places in Queensland:
DatePlaceTransfer
3 March 2018Horn IslandDarwin to Horn Island
3 March 2018Thursday Island
3 March 2018Hammond Island
4 March 2018Injinoo
4 March 2018Umagico
4 March 2018Bamaga
4 March 2018New Mapoon
4 March 2018Seisia
5 March 2018Cooktown
6 March 2018Cloncurry
6 March 2018Mount Isa
7 March 2018Birdsville
7 March 2018Roma
8 March 2018Mitchell
8 March 2018Morven
8 March 2018Charleville
9 March 2018Augathella
9 March 2018Tambo
9 March 2018Blackall
10 March 2018Barcaldine
10 March 2018Ilfracombe
10 March 2018Longreach
11 March 2018Winton
11 March 2018Hughenden
12 March 2018Prairie
12 March 2018Pentland
12 March 2018Homestead
12 March 2018Charters Towers
13 March 2018Travel day
14 March 2018Ravenshoe
14 March 2018Atherton
14 March 2018Tolga
14 March 2018Mareeba
15 March 2018Travel day
16 March 2018Cairns
17 March 2018Yarrabah
17 March 2018Cairns
17 March 2018Innisfail
17 March 2018Mission Beach
17 March 2018Tully
18 March 2018Cardwell
18 March 2018Ingham
18 March 2018Townsville
19 March 2018Townsville
19 March 2018Ayr
19 March 2018Bowen
19 March 2018Airlie Beach
20 March 2018Mackay
21 March 2018Nebo
21 March 2018Coppabella
21 March 2018Moranbah
21 March 2018Clermont
22 March 2018Capella
22 March 2018Anakie
22 March 2018Emerald
23 March 2018Blackwater
23 March 2018Bluff
23 March 2018Dingo
23 March 2018Duaringa
23 March 2018Rockhampton
23 March 2018Yeppoon
24 March 2018Gladstone
24 March 2018Miriam Vale
24 March 20181770
24 March 2018Agnes Water
24 March 2018Bundaberg
25 March 2018Fraser Island
25 March 2018Hervey Bay
25 March 2018Maryborough
26 March 2018Gympie
26 March 2018Noosa Heads
27 March 2018Caloundra
27 March 2018Kilcoy
27 March 2018Kingaroy
28 March 2018Dalby
28 March 2018Oakey
28 March 2018Toowoomba
29 March 2018Warwick
29 March 2018Gatton
29 March 2018Ipswich
30 March 2018Redcliffe
30 March 2018Brisbane
31 March 2018Cleveland
31 March 2018Brisbane
1 April 2018Daisy Hill
1 April 2018Beenleigh
1 April 2018North Tamborine
1 April 2018Gold Coast
2 April 2018Gold Coast
3 April 2018Gold Coast
4 April 2018Gold Coast

End of Relay

The end of the relay took place in the 2018 Commonwealth Games opening ceremony.
The Queen's baton was brought into the Carrara Stadium in a Kombi van by Australian former swimmer Susie O'Neill. She then went to the centre of the stadium and images and videos of popular Gold Coast attractions were projected on the ground of the stadium such as feeding lorikeets, skydiving, dreaming in the ocean, walking in the treetops, and riding the rollercoaster. After that, she handed over the baton to Australian former cyclist Brad McGee, who took it to Australian wheelchair racer Kurt Fearnley. Fearnley after parading it around the stadium, handed over to Australian netballer Liz Ellis, who then took it to Australian hockey player Brent Livermore. Finally, Brent handed the baton over to Australian hurdler Sally Pearson. She received a large applause from the audience as she lives in Gold Coast. She went to the dais along with the baton and hand it over to the CGF President Louise Martin. Martin removed the Queen's message from the baton and handed to Prince Charles. Charles read out the message and declared the competition officially open.

Sponsors

Tourism Australia and QSuper sponsored the international and Australian segment of Queen's Baton Relay respectively, while Longines sponsored both the segments.