FNQ Joins GC2018 Commonwealth Games Countdown

Far North Queensland’s journey to the 2018 Commonwealth Games has officially begun with the unveiling of a GC2018 surfboard-shaped countdown clock in the Cairns Esplanade Parklands on Saturday, December 10. 

Minister for Transport and the Commonwealth Games, Stirling Hinchliffe and Member for Barron River, Craig Crawford joined with Cairns Mayor, Bob Manning OAM to start the countdown to the Games’ arrival in Far North Queensland. 

Mr Hinchliffe, a keen basketball fan, said Cairns would be a GC2018 event city for the Commonwealth Games men’s and women’s basketball preliminaries. 

“The unveiling of the GC2018 countdown clock here in the Esplanade Parklands is an important milestone for the Far North and Cairns as one of the host cities for Australia’s biggest event this decade,” Minister Hinchliffe said. 

“It’s a reminder of the long-term benefits and tourism exposure the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, with a global audience of 1.5 billion people, will deliver to Far North Queensland. 

“With the Cairns GC2018 clock installed, the countdown to April 2018 starts now.”  

International basketball talent will converge on the Cairns Convention Centre for the preliminary rounds of the Games’ basketball competition from April 4, 2018. 

Treasurer and Member for Mulgrave, Curtis Pitt said Far North Queensland was already counting down the days until the arrival of the Commonwealth’s best basketball talent.  

“Few regions in Australia are as passionate about sport as the north of our great state and with its strong basketball heritage, Cairns is the obvious choice to host the preliminaries,” Mr Pitt said.

“The Commonwealth Games will deliver more than elite sport to the Far North, they also bring the eyes of a global audience and international tourism interest in our region.” 

Helping to deliver the 3 metre-high countdown clock to Cairns was Borobi, the official GC2018 Games mascot, who proved to be a big hit on the esplanade. 

Cairns Mayor, Bob Manning OAM said he couldn’t have wished for a better location for the Cairns countdown clock. 

“The esplanade is one of our city’s highest profile locations for both visitors and residents and will be a highly visible reminder of the important role Cairns will play in the success of the 2018 Commonwealth Games,” Mayor Manning said. 

“Cairns will be on show to the world in 2018 which will assist in attracting other major sporting events and increase sport participation rates in the region.” 

Member for Barron River, Craig Crawford said there would be opportunities for local residents to get behind Cairns’ role as a GC2018 host city. 

“I’m expecting the basketball preliminaries will be the hottest ticket in town along with some strong competition for Games volunteer jobs as excitement around the games builds across Far North Queensland,” Mr Crawford said.  

TAFE Queensland North is the official GC2018 Volunteer Training Partner and the Presenting Partner for the basketball preliminaries. 

Tickets will go on sale from April 2017 with admission for children from $15 and adults from $30. 

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