Melbourne locked in to host return of homecoming parade for Olympians after eight-year hiatus

A sea of green and gold will flood Melbourne streets to welcome home our Olympians after the AOC gave the thumbs up for the city to host a homecoming parade following an eight-year hiatus.

Melbourne’s Olympic and Paralympic stars will receive a welcome home for the ages with the city locked in to host a homecoming parade. Picture:Ian Currie

Australia’s Olympic and Paralympic stars will receive a welcome home for the ages with Melbourne officially locked in to host a homecoming parade.

Anna Meares, Australia’s chef de mission, confirmed on Saturday evening each state and territory would plan welcome-home parades.

An emotional Meares spoke about how proud of the team she was after they broke the record for the most golds at an Olympics, and how she can’t wait for them to be welcomed home.

“We’re really looking forward to touching down on Australian soil on Wednesday in Sydney, stopping off in Perth along the way where our WA based athletes will return home,” she said.

“The Qantas hangar event is such a highlight for any returning team. The Prime Minister will be there to greet us, as will family and friends of course. Our state and territory governments are also running welcome home events in every state and territory throughout September and October, and these will combine with our Paralympians.”

A sea of green and gold is set to take over Melbourne’s CBD on September 14.

The Olympics homecoming parade will return to Melbourne for the first time in eight years. Picture: Ian Currie

It comes after Lord Mayor Nick Reece last week moved a motion calling on council to bring back the parade following an eight-year hiatus.

“When our Olympic and Paralympic heroes return home, we want all Melburnians to be a part of a major city celebration,” he said at the time.

Premier Jacinta Allan welcomed the decision.

“These Games have been incredible – and I know there’s even more action to come from our Paralympians,” the premier said.

“Like many Victorians, I’ve had some late nights and early mornings keeping up with our amazing Aussie athletes in Paris.

“This event will be an opportunity to welcome our sporting heroes home – and celebrate their record success.”

Almost 100 Victorian athletes have competed at the Paris Olympics across 26 sports, with only those based in the state expected to join the festivities in Melbourne.

Mens rowing silver medallists James McRae, Cameron Girdlestone, Alexander Belonogoff and Karsten Forsterling soak in the atmosphere at Melbourne’s last Olympians parade in 2016. Picture:Ian Currie

They could include gold medallist and road racing cyclist Grace Brown, silver medallist and walker Jemima Montag and bronze medallist and trap shooter Penny Smith.

Interstate dates are: Sydney, September 13; Brisbane and Perth on September 14; Adelaide, September 15; Canberra, September 17; Launceston, September 21; and Gold Coast, September 22.

“They were pretty amazing those ticker tape parades weren’t they?” Meares said of past celebrations.

“So it’ll be, between the dates of September 13th and September 16th, and we are doing that so that Olympians and Paralympians can be celebrated and welcomed home together.

“We’ve actually worked really closely with the Paralympic team.

“And we will actually leave a lot of the things here that we have used and optimised for our team that they can utilise for their athletes as well.

“In terms of what that looks like, that’s still yet to be put out there so each city and each state will have their own flair on it. I guess you could say.”