Fact sheets

Athletes Village
Better access to the Yarra Precinct
Business opportunities
Cultural Festival
Education Program
Environment Program
Equal First
Games @ Work
Getting Involved
Innovative design and technology – The Melbourne 2006 Queen's Baton
MCG redevelopment
Melbourne International Shooting Club
Melbourne Sports and Acquatic Centre
Queen's Baton – Victorian innovation
Respecting Indigenous Communities
State Lawn Bowls Centre
State Mountain Bike Course
State Netball Hockey Centre
Up and Running
Yarra Pedestrian Bridge

Queen’s Baton Relay

The Melbourne 2006 Queen's Baton Relay is the world's longest, most inclusive relay, travelling more than 180,000 kilometres and visiting all 71 nations of the Commonwealth in one year and a day. The Queen's Baton Relay symbolises the unity and shared ideals of the Commonwealth of Nations, and enables communities beyond the host city to share the Games celebrations. The baton also carries Her Majesty's message to the athletes.

Queen's Baton - Victorian innovation

Queen's Baton Relay video clips:

Melbourne 2006 Queens' Baton Relay
www.melbourne2006.com.au/?s=qbr

Activities

A special visitor - Celebration / My community
Writing and sending a message - Celebration / Being creative
Queen's Baton Relay - Identity / Commonwealth nations
Transporting the Queen's Baton - Change / Technological change
Follow the Baton - Participation / Across the globe

Ceremonies and celebrations

Many ceremonies and community celebrations will be associated with Melbourne's hosting of the 2006 Commonwealth Games. These will include:

opening and closing ceremonies;
medal presentation ceremonies;
community celebrations to welcome the Queen's Baton Relay;
welcoming ceremonies for international teams; and
community cultural celebrations.

Activities

It's a celebration - Celebration / Being creative
Welcome and goodbye - Celebration / My community
Together as one - Celebration / Being creative
Design a flag, banner or bunting - Identity / Commonwealth nations
Light my lantern - Identity / Belonging
Marching as one - Change / Social change
Auslan Australia Fair - Identity / Ceremony
Auslan at the Games - Participation / Participation for all

Equal First

Equal First is the State Government’s strategy for making the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games a true celebration of diversity. Through a series of interconnected initiatives, it outlines how the principles that underpin the Games - inclusion, spirit of fair play and respect for difference - will be epitomized through Melbourne's role as host city.

Equal first Fact Sheet
Office of Commonwealth Games Coordination – Celebrating Diversity
www.dvc.vic.gov.au/commonwealth_games/celebrating_diversity.htm

Activities

The ’Equal First’ strategy - Participation / Participation for all
Include me - Participation / Participation for all
Auslan at the Games - Participation / Participation for all

Protecting the environment

The link between major events and the environment isn't exactly a traditional one. But hosting the 2006 Commonwealth Games has the potential to make Victoria a much more sustainable place to be. The Commonwealth Games the Environment Program aim to set a new benchmark in reducing our impact on natural resources while still staging a world-class event. The Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games will be waterwise carbon neutral and low waste.

Environment Program
Office of Commonwealth Games Coordination Protecting the Environment
www.dvc.vic.gov.au/commonwealth_games/

Activities

Environment unit
Planning a celebration - minimising waste - Celebration / Our environment
Sustaining our environment - Identity / Values
Take action - Water Wise, Carbon Neutral, Low Waste - Identity / Values
Changing Environments - Change / Changing environments
How can I be involved? - Participation / Leaving a legacy

Respecting Indigenous communities

Hosting the Commonwealth Games gives Victoria the chance to acknowledge its unique Indigenous cultural heritage and build on Indigenous achievements. One of the aims of the Respecting Indigenous Communities Strategy is to recognise, respect and celebrate Victoria's Indigenous communities.

Office of Commonwealth Games Coordination – Respecting Indigenous Communities
www.dvc.vic.gov.au/commonwealth_games/diversity/indigenous.htm

Activities

Who we are - Celebration / My community
Welcome and goodbye - Celebration / My community
Telling story through a performance - Celebration / Being creative
Together as one - Celebration / Being creative
Capture it - Environment / Water precious water
Compare, contrast and model - Environment / Water precious water
Harvesting the rubbish - Environment / Water precious water
Aboriginal people belong - Identity / Belonging
I am who I am because - Identity / Belonging
Welcome to country - Identity / Ceremony
Traditional indigenous games - Participation / Participate for health

Other Initiatives

National Gallery of Victoria

The National Gallery of Victoria embraces the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games. A rich offering of exhibitions and programs related to the school curriculum are available at The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia and NGV International.
For further information go to www.ngv.vic.gov.au/education

Museum Victoria

Museum Victoria is celebrating the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games with an exciting program of exhibitions and events at Melbourne Museum, IMAX, Scienceworks and the Immigration Museum.
Visit www.museum.vic.gov.au/commonwealthgames/ for updated details.