Queen's Baton Heads to Bellingen

The world's eyes are set to be focused on Belligen on Thursday when the Queen's Baton Relay heads to town.

In the lead up to the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast in April, 11 baton bearers will carry the baton through the township, with Triple M broadcasting live from 6am - 9am, then a community celebration in Maam Gaduying Park from 12.30pm.

Having arrived in Australia on Christmas Day, the baton will travel 40,000 kilometres over the final 100 days of its 388
day journey, visiting all states and territories.

Bellingen is one of 18 communities around Australia selected to host a leg of the baton relay.

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 baton travel 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 entertainment 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.

The whole town is getting involved, with several shops decorating their windows with a sporting display in the lead up the relay including Windsong Travel.

Catch Triple M and Moffee for Breakfast LIVE from Bellingen from 6am - 9am on Thursday morning.