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Mackay will honour the original torchbearers of the 1956 Olympic Torch Relay, celebrating 70 years of history and the local runners who helped carry the flame. Photos supplied
By Hannah McNamara
Mackay is preparing to celebrate a significant piece of Australian Olympic history this Saturday, with a reunion bringing together original torchbearers, their families and community members to mark 70 years since the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Torch Relay.
The 1956 Olympic Games, popularly known as the Friendly Games, saw the Olympic flame travel from Greece to Australia before making its way from Cairns to Melbourne. After being flown to Darwin by Qantas, the flame was transported to Cairns by a Royal Australian Air Force aircraft, where the Australian leg of the relay began.
Covering approximately 2,830 miles (4,555 kilometres), the relay travelled day and night along Australia's east coast, passing through towns and cities including our region of Mackay. Around 2,830 torchbearers took part in the Australian leg, with each runner generally allocated a one-mile section to complete within a set time.
But with great success, often comes challenges.
Runners had to adapt to Tropical Queensland's unpredictable weather and ever-changing road conditions.
According to historic reports, one notable section was between Mackay and Rockhampton, where heavy rain around St Lawrence forced a change to the planned route between Sarina and Marlborough. The diversion added approximately 22 miles (36kilometres), but with no extra time allowed in the schedule, and runners were instructed to pick up the pace to keep the flame on track.
“They had to run a mile in seven minutes, but because they were running late in some areas, they had to run a mile in six minutes. Some of them, even a mile in five minutes,” organiser Majella Daley said.
Majella is the daughter of Eric Ross, who was one of the original torchbearers.
What began as a small idea sparked between a father and daughter has grown into a gathering of more than 200 people, with 33 surviving original torchbearers identified. Families of runners who have since passed away will also be there, with some eventravelling from interstate to share stories and reconnect with an important part of history.
As far as organisers know, it’s the only event on Australia's east coast specifically celebrating the original 1956 torchbearers, giving the runners themselves an opportunity to be recognised for their part in Olympic history.
For Mackay, the occasion is a chance to look back on a remarkable chapter in the region's history, while hearing first-hand accounts from some of the people who helped carry the Olympic flame south all those years ago!
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