Beach culture on show

DANCING lifesavers, RickiLee Coulter and Delta Goodrem singing in the sand, and a giant white whale floating across Carrara Stadium will shine the world spotlight on the Gold Coast tonight at the opening ceremony for what organisers promise will be “the best Commonwealth Games ever”.

The eyes of an estimated 1.5 billion worldwide will be treated to a celebration of Gold Coast beach and indigenous culture in the three- hour opening spectacular, which Games organisers have hinted could also star Margot Robbie and Chris Hemsworth.

After years of fears about issues including security and transport, and last- minute concerns about bad weather and unsold tickets, organisers say they are confident that the biggest event in Queensland history will be a success.

Games Minister Kate Jones said it had been 3511 days since the State Government launched its bid for the mega event, and more than six years since the Coast was awarded the hosting rights.

“With one day to go, we are ready,” she said yesterday.

“We will deliver the best Commonwealth Games ever, here on the Gold Coast, in Queensland.

“We have put all the planning in place to deliver what will be a great Games.”

A massive security operation will be in place around Carrara Stadium tonight, where VIPs including Prince Charles and Camilla as well as Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull will be among the 35,000- strong crowd.

The Bulletin can also reveal tourism bosses are hopeful Prince Charles, in his speech to the ceremony, will include Queensland’s revived “Beautiful One Day, Perfect the Next” slogan, as then US president Barack Obama famously did at Brisbane’s G20 summit.

Lifesavers and indigenous performers will take centre stage at the ceremony, with the centre of the stadium transformed into an inland beach.

Nippers clad in fluoro rash vests carrying matching pink rescue boards will usher the athletes from the 71 Commonwealth nations and territories into the stadium, which will also be decked out with props including an actual Gold Coast lifeguard tower and surf boat.

Towel- twirling dancers wearing boardshorts and bikinis will frolic on the “beach” as Coulter performs from a deck chair in the sand.

A didgeridoo orchestra, ballet dancers from the renowned Bangarra Aboriginal dance troupe and a traditional smoking ceremony will feature.

A giant effigy of famed white whale Migaloo, which passes the Gold Coast each winter, will float into the stadium as the ceremony climaxes.

Terrorism fears have heightened considerably since the Coast won the Games bid in November 2011.

But Games police commander Deputy Commissioner Steve Gollschewski said the 10,000- strong security force was prepared for a “very, very safe and secure Games”.