Once-in-a-lifetime experience for Kilcoy

The Somerset region came out in force to celebrate the Queen's Baton Relay when it arrived in Kilcoy yesterday

CELEBRATION TIME: Batonbearer Sage Volschenk with friends from her school during the Queens Baton Relay in Kilcoy yesterday. Picture: GOLDOC

A ONCE-in-a-lifetime event made its way through Kilcoy yesterday when the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games Queen's Baton Relay ran into town.

The baton, carrying a message from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, made its way from Kilcoy State High School to the Kilcoy Visitors Information Centre via six batonbearers chosen from around the Somerset, South Burnett and Moreton Bay regions.

Rachael Harper (Wamuran), Ariah Edwards (Mount Beppo), Graham King (Glenfern), Geoff Blogg (Villeneuve), Sage Volschenk (Benarkin) and Matthew Heck (Esk) were given the honour of carrying the baton in recognition of their achievements and contributions to the community.

Matthew Heck said being chosen as a batonbearer was an honour and a fantastic opportunity to put his home town on the map.

"It feels pretty special, everyone watching you and talking about you... It's really good to represent a small town like Esk.”

Mr Heck has been heavily involved in the community throughout his youth and was Somerset's 2017 Australia Day Young Citizen of the Year award winner.

He bucked the trend by completing his section of the relay in a pair of steel-cap work boots rather than running shoes.

This didn't slow him down however and he made sure the Queensland Police Asset Protection Team had to work to keep up.

The community turned out in force to see the historic event, with Somerset Regional Council estimating that about 1000 people lined the streets and joined the celebrations at Yowie Park.

While the baton was boxed up and moved onto Kingaroy soon after the relay finished celebrations continued into the afternoon, with live entertainment from the Kilcoy primary and high school bands and Fernvale country singer Kodie Sloane.

The Queen's Baton Relay is a tradition that sees a baton travel throughout the Commonwealth to call athletes together for the Games.

It contains a letter from the Queen that will be read out by His Majesty Prince Charles at the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast.

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