Local legends will carry the Queen’s Baton, significant of peace and friendly competition between Commonwealth nations, through Kempsey in the lead up to the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

The Kempsey batonbearers will be announced on October 18 and will be among the 3,800 other batonbearers set to carry the Queen’s Baton around Australia.

Batonbearers have already been nominated by community peers and will be chosen by judges based on their achievements, contributions or inspiration to their community.

The Baton arrives in Australia on 24 December 2017 and will enter Kempsey on 2 Feb 2018.

It will then make its way down to Forster Tuncurry and visit towns between Newcastle and Batemans Bay before travelling all around Australia.

A full map of the Baton’s journey can be found here.

The Baton will conclude its 388-day journey across the Commonwealth at the 2018 Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony in the Gold Coast on 4 April 2018 where the Games will be declared open.

Mayor Liz Campbell said she is delighted that the Macleay will be part of an event that will showcase it to the world.

“The Queen’s Baton Relay is not only a symbol of the Commonwealth Games, but an event that will connect the Macleay with communities across Australia and the entire Commonwealth,” she said.

“The Queen’s Baton Relay celebrates community pride and shows us how important a role sport plays to build our great community - this is why we’’ve chosen to embrace the Baton’s visit wholeheartedly.”