The Armidale community came out in force to watch the Torch Relay as it made its way through the town on Tuesday, beginning its 204-kilometre journey to Tenterfield.
The first of 96 torchbearers, Jenny Richardson, departed from outside the council chambers. Other Armidale runners included Alan Kennedy, an active community volunteer worker, and former Olympic trap shooter , grazier Terry Rumbel.
While bagpipes played Waltzing Matilda, students from Standon Primary School, wearing Australian caps and waving flags and homemade torches, were out to support the relay.
The excitement really began to build when community torchbearer Steven Widders carried the flame, running barefoot to honour the traditional owners of the land he crossed. Widders, an aboriginal leader, was born in Armidale and has become a role model and ambassador in his community. A huge crowd of family and friends lined the route to cheer him on.
The torch was carried through the wool-producing town of Guyra, highest point in the New England region, by Robert Simpson. Sadly, he wore a black armband in respect of his cousin Peter Simpson, who had been selected to run because of his charitable and volunteer work. Peter died of cancer just before he was due to run.
After the town of Glencoe, an Aboriginal welcoming ceremony met the flame at Coorambah before its arrival at Glen Innes for the lunchtime celebration. Glen Innes, known as the Celtic Capital of New South Wales, is a town steeped in history. It is the site of Australia’s only official monument to the nations’ Celtic pioneers. The Australian Standing Stones, in Centennial Park, are an array of 24 granite monoliths like those around which the ancient Celts dances.
The celebrations highlighted the Celtic roots of the town and torchbearer Lisa Reed was given special permission to carry the flame in a kilt. She took the torch from the Australian Standing Stones to light the cauldron for the lunchtime celebration, pausing on her way to do a highland fling. Entertainment at the celebration was provided by over 800 children from the area wearing green and gold gloves.
From Glen Innes the torch headed to Tenterfield, 743km north of Sydney.
Joan Harvey lit the cauldron at the evening celebrations held in Federation Park. Joan is an outstanding member of the Tenterfield community, contributing hundreds of hours of selfless community volunteer work.
Tenterfield is, in fact, a town run by women — the Mayor and Deputy Mayor are women, as are the three school principals, the newspaper editor and the presidents of the Lions and Rotary clubs.
The flame was welcomed by the Tenterfield Highlanders Pipe Band, an Italian singing group, The Stanthorpe Concert Band and the Combined Tenterfield and Granite Belt Choir The celebration also honoured the town’s most famous son, the late international entertainer Peter Allen. Allen’s ballad, Tenterfield Saddler, was named after a saddlery shop in Tenterfield once owned by his grandfather.
The relay continues on to coastal town of Ballina on Wednesday.
Source: SOCOG Olympics.com