BANORA POINT RESIDENTS TAKE PART IN ONCE-IN-100 YEAR EVENT

By Sarah Waters

It had passed through hundreds of hands before them, but on June 19, Banora Point residents Ray and Rhonda Niland took part in a historical moment as they walked with the Legacy Centenary Torch down the east coast of Australia.

The Legacy Centenary Torch Relay, presented by Defence Health, started this year on April 23 in Pozières France.

After travelling through London, home to the only Legacy Club outside of Australia, the torch touched down in Albany, Western Australia, on May 3.

Two weeks ago, the torch made its way to Australia’s east coast when it was almost halfway through its journey to travel to all 44 Legacy Clubs in the country.

Mr and Mrs Niland were two of the 26 torchbearers who were each chosen to walk 500 meters for the 13km Gold Coast leg of the relay.

Mrs Niland said it was an anxious wait as she sat on a park bench looking for Mr Niland to come down the path with the torch for the changeover.

“I was just sitting there nervously and then all of a sudden there he was