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1956 Olympic Torch MonumentPrint Page Print this page

1956 Olympic Torch Monument
1956 Olympic Torch Monument

Photographs supplied by Diane Watson
The granite monument commemorates the 1956 Olympic Torch Relay run between Cairns and Melbourne, between 9th and 22nd of November 1956. As host city for the beginning of the 1956 Olympic Torch Relay, the 1956 Olympic Torchbearers Club Inc (Cairns) was founded to create a club for the 1956 runners.

Location

Address:Esplanade, Foreshore Promenade, Cairns, 4870
State:QLD
Area:AUS
GPS Coordinates:Lat: -16.9175
Long: 145.775556
Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.
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Details

Monument Type:Monument
Monument Theme:Culture
Sub-Theme:Sport

Dedication

Actual Monument Dedication Date:Saturday 22nd November, 2003
Front Inscription

DEDICATION 
This Memorial Is Dedicated To The City Of Cairns As Host City For The Beginning Of The 1956 Olympic Torch Relay. At The Time, The Relay Was The Longest Ever Undertaken In The Modern Olympic Era A Distance Of 2855 miles (4600km) And The First In The Southern Hemisphere.
The Memorial Commends The Alderman, Councillors And Staff Of Cairns City And Mulgrave Shire Councils And Other Community Leaders For Their Dedication In Securing Cairns As The Starting Venue For This Historic Event. Their Foresight Placed Cairns On The International Stage At A Time When The District Was Relatively Unknown.
This Memorial Also Honours The Runners Who Each Carried The Flame Over A Mile (1.6km) Distance Inside Seven Minutes On Its Non-Stop Journey To Melbourne Over 13 nights And 14 days And The Assisting Personnel.

PRESENTED TO THE CAIRNS CITY COUNCIL 
BY THE 56's OLYMPIC TORCHBEARERS CLUB Inc 
ON 22nd NOVEMBER 2003

Source: MA
Monument details supplied by Monument Australia - www.monumentaustralia.org.au