When Hinchinbrook Carried The Queen’s Baton

Father and son duo (L) Felix Reitano and (R) Peter Reitano, carrying the Queens relay baton through Ingham’s main streets in 2018. Photo supplied: Peter Reitano

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By Dr Bianka Vidonja Balanzategui

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In this year of the 23rd Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, we look back on the 12th games, held in Brisbane from September 30th to October 9th 1982. The Brisbane Games hold special significance for the Hinchinbrook Shire, as one of only two occasions (the other being the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games) when local residents had the honour of participating in the Commonwealth Games Queen’s Baton Relay.  

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The Commonwealth Games is a sporting competition staged every four years for participants from the Commonwealth of Nations (previously known as the British Commonwealth). The British monarch is Head of the Commonwealth Games and Patron of the Commonwealth Games Federation.  

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To mark the beginning of the Commonwealth Games, a baton carrying a message from the Head of the Commonwealth embarks on a journey through the nations and territories of the Commonwealth before arriving in the host city for the opening ceremony.

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On 8th March 1982, the Baton holding Queen Elizabeth II’s message left London.

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The baton was designed by Gerald Hancock and crafted by five artisans from the wood of Australia’s national floral emblem, the wattle (acacia). Embellishments included Australian silver, 36 sapphire and 36 amethysts. The internal cavity which held the Queen’s message was crafted with silver plated brass, as were the double locking mechanism and key. In acknowledgement to First Nations peoples, the baton took its design inspiration from an Aboriginal fighting club (nulla nulla) and message stick.  

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The baton arrived in Perth on 3rd July and was then carried by relay runners, athletes and non-athletes, to arrive in Brisbane at the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Sports Stadium on 30th September. There, the Queen’s message was read at the opening ceremony by her representative, His Royal Highness Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh.  

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Forty-six nations participated in the 1982 Brisbane Games, with a then record total of 1,583 athletes.

But before the baton reached Brisbane, on Friday 10th September around 200 people gathered at the Cardwell Range Lookout to witness the last Cardwell Shire runner hand the baton to Richard Anderson of Ingham’s Amateur Athletics Club.  

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He was the first of a contingent of Ingham and district athletes of all ages, from the Athletics Club, the Rhee Tae Kwon Do Club and other individuals who had been nominated, including a squad of runners from the former Lucinda State Primary School: students Natalie Ashley, Trevor Giddins, William Bailey and Rick L’Green along with school principal, Trevor Shaw.  Each runner was allotted at least a kilometre over which to carry the baton. The students completed their legs of the relay coming down to the Ripple Creek State School area while Trevor had a flat run near Bambaroo.  

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Chariots of Fire boomed out of the loudspeakers on the relay security bus behind him as he ran.

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The final lap to the official dais in Rotary Park was made by Olavi Kaurila who 26 years earlier had carried the Olympic Torch. There the runners were welcomed by Shire Chairman, the Reverend A.J. Andrews and each runner was given a certificate to mark their participation. Councillors and local Member, Ted Row joined the Shire Chairman on the dais for the official welcome, and a commemorative plaque was presented by Mr Danny Burke, Relay Regional Director.

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The relay recommenced on Saturday 11th September at 7:30am, with Ingham runners taking the baton to Rollingstone for the changeover to the Townsville relay runners.  

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