Stars locked in for Queen’s Baton celebration

A host of special guests including Queensland Firebird Jemma Mi Mi, surfing champion Bede Durbidge and Commonwealth Games medal designer Delvene Cockatoo-Collins will help give the Queen’s Baton a traditional Redlands welcome at North Stradbroke Island’s Headland Park on Monday, January 8. The visit to the stunning Point Lookout park on Monday 8 January 2018 will be the first of two to the city for the Queen’s Baton as it makes its way to next year’s Gold Coast Commonwealth Games. Redland City Mayor Karen Williams said: ”It is particularly exciting that the Baton will visit Straddie, home of Quandamooka artist Delvene Cockatoo-Collins, whose wonderful coast-inspired designs have been selected for the Commonwealth Games medal. We are also fortunate to have two other Redland stars at the event – surfing champ and Straddie local Bede Durbidge and our own Queensland Firebird Jemma Mi Mi.” The Queen’s Baton will be carried by Aunty Rosie Borey, a Quandamooka Traditional Owner and respected Elder to Headland Park for a traditional welcome with a smoking ceremony and a great afternoon of entertainment and activities. There will be free shuttle buses from Straddie’s passenger ferry and water taxi to get you to Point Lookout. Division 2 Councillor Peter Mitchell said the North Stradbroke Island event, from 2pm-4pm, would be hosted by Channel 7 Sunrise personality Mark Beretta, who was the MC at Buckingham Palace when the Queen’s Baton was officially launched across the Commonwealth. “It will include live music, cultural demonstrations and performances by the acclaimed Quandamooka Yulu-Burri-Ba dancers,” Cr Mitchell said.

“The Queen’s Baton will then return to the Redlands on Easter Saturday 31 March 2018, when it will be carried as part of the traditional Queen’s Baton Relay from Cleveland Lighthouse Reserve, along North Street, Shore Street North and Shore Street West before arriving at Raby Bay Harbour Park, where there will be a free community celebration from 8.30am-12.30pm.

“Redlander and TV personality Lincoln Lewis and Olympic Gold medallist and beach volleyball star Natalie Cook will MC the event, which will include a traditional ceremony, cultural demonstrations and workshops, activities, the Yulu-Burri-Ba dancers and food stalls.”

The Baton will then continue to Waterloo Street before it leaves the Redlands and continues to Brisbane.

Cr Williams said many notable locals were among the 19 batonbearers selected for the Cleveland leg of the Queen’s Baton Relay.

The Queen’s Baton will arrive on Australian soil in Brisbane on 24 December 2017 and, from Christmas Day until 24 January 2018, will be shared with thousands of Australians at popular summertime events, iconic locations and children’s hospitals around the country.

From 25 January 2018, its journey will shift gears to a more traditional relay, continuing in the hands of approximately 3800 batonbearers through every state and territory.

The Queen’s Baton will arrive on the Gold Coast for the XXI Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony on 4 April 2018, where His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales will remove Her Majesty’s message from the Baton and read it aloud to declare the Games officially open.

You can keep up to date at www.redland.qld.gov.au/GC2018