Warragul welcomes baton
While big crowds lined the streets to bear witness to the Queen’s Baton Relay en route to the Commonwealth Games to be staged in the Gold Coast, the biggest crowd gathered at Warragul’s Civic Park to see locals Noah Lafrantz and Gwen Gilbert finish the Warragul leg of the relay. Community activities and entertainment proved popular as the crowd gathered at Civic Park for the community celebration, with show bags, face painting, gardening activities, games and a visit from Peppa Pig and the Paw Patrol proving popular with the children. The relay began at Warragul Leisure Centre in front of a big crowd that had lined up along Burke Street. Crowd interaction was a common theme throughout the baton’s journey through the streets, with baton bearer Tracey Jilbert interacting with children in the street.
Many people followed the baton on the first part of the journey, with the baton exchanged to Neville Hurford of Maryknoll who inspired all who were watching on. Despite being a double amputee as a result of an workplace accident where 22,000 volts of electricity passed through his body, Mr Hurford is a member of the Maryknoll Fire Brigade, former social worker and founder of his own mobility equipment business.
Swimmer Melina de Cort of Drouin was the next local to take the baton, receiving it from Peter Ketelaar on Howitt Street. Several members of the Warragul Warriors Swimming Club had followed the relay from the Leisure Centre to that point and worked hard to keep up as Melina broke into a run for her leg.
The wave of support continued as Harvey Scott of Warragul took the baton for his leg, that finished at the Lionel Rose statue at Queen Street park.
Cars waiting at road blocks tooted their horns at the encouragement of the announcer onboard the Queen’s Baton Relay fleet, as South Gippsland baton bearers Lee-Anne McLean, David Green and Stephen Plumb took their turn along Smith Street.
The crowd started to build as Noah Lafrantz, who has raised about $20,000 for brain cancer research to date, took the baton at the Albert Street roundabout. Turning the corner into Civic Park, Noah offered Gwen Gilbert a high five before Gwen led Noah in a merry dance upon exchange of the baton for the final leg.
Gwen, who has been delivering meals on wheels to Baw Baw Shire residents for 50 years, also made sure people in the crowd were able to witness the baton up close. Gwen has also contributed 11 years of service at a Warragul nursing home, was a founding member of St Luke’s Church at Ellinbank and has been involved in the Ellinbank Scouts, Ellinbank Primary School and Ellinbank tennis and badminton clubs.
Australian flags waved through the crowd as Gwen made the final leg to the stage at Civic Park, where the baton remained for 10 minutes before departing for the next stage in Frankston.