Cranbourne MP Jude Perera is encouraging locals to get behind the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games and cheer on the Queen’s Baton Relay when it passes through Cranbourne in March.CRANBOURNE residents can join in the race to the start of the Commonwealth Games when the Queen’s Baton passes through town in March.
Cranbourne MP Jude Perera has encouraged locals to line roadsides and cheer the relay as it travels through High Street during the final leg of its international journey.
The Queen’s Baton Relay will arrive in Cranbourne on Thursday, 2 March, before making its way to the opening ceremony of the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games at the MCG.
“It’s an honour for Cranbourne to be able to welcome the Queen’s Baton on its final leg of its international relay,” said Mr Perera.
“This is a great opportunity for the residents in Cranbourne to celebrate the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games and be a part of history.”
The Queen’s Baton set off from Buckingham Palace in England on its epic journey to Melbourne on 14 March.
The Baton is carrying a message from the Queen to be delivered to the Commonwealth Games athletes at the MCG on 15 March.
For the first time in the Games’ history, the baton has visited all 71 nations of the Commonwealth — home to one third of the world’s population.
It has travelled more than 180,000 kilometres across land, air and sea, via thousands of relay runners and on many different modes of transport — from bicycle and wheelchair to hot air balloon, steam train, and elephant and horseback.
The Melbourne 2006 Queen’s Baton contains an electronic version of Her Majesty’s Message, two microcameras, a sound recorder, a GPS tracking device and other innovative features that have enabled communities across the globe to follow the baton’s journey on the internet.
The baton was designed and manufactured in Victoria.
Mr Perera said he hoped local community groups, schools, families and individuals would cheer the baton and its runners when it passed through Cranbourne.
“I also take my hat off to the successful local champions who will be actually carrying the baton through Cranbourne,” he said.
The baton will pass through Cranbourne at 11am and Cranbourne North at 11.50am on 2 March.
For more information on the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games and the progress of the Queen’s Baton Relay, visit www.melbourne2006.com.au.
