GC2018 COMMONWEALTH GAMES VOLUNTEERING EXPERIENCE
Queenslanders
have a proud tradition of volunteering to support major events and there is
none bigger in Australia this decade than the Commonwealth Games on the Gold
Coast. The 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast needed 15,000 volunteers
with diverse skills and life experiences for crucial roles at multiple
locations including Games venues, the Games Village and the Uniform and
Accreditation Centre. Specialist training for GC2018 was provided by TAFE
Queensland at no cost to Games volunteers. The contribution of GC2018
volunteers helped promote the Gold Coast to athletes, officials and spectators
who attended the Games from across the Commonwealth. Volunteering at the Games
provided so many people with an opportunity to share the dream, which has been
at the heart of the event since the Commonwealth Games began.
Everyone
knew that when the Commonwealth Games was in town in April there’d be an Arts
and Culture Program. What everyone didn’t know was that it would be the biggest
cultural festival the city has ever seen. Festival 2018 ran from 4th till 15th
April, alongside the Commonwealth Games, spilling out onto beaches and
waterways, taking over streets and outdoor spaces, delivering roving
performances and entertaining outside stadiums. The 12 day program included
some 160 events, with more than 1000 performances across 28 venues with 35
world premieres, 15 Australian premieres and 20 Indigenous works. The program
included a full Children’s’ Festival in Kurrawa Park, Broadbeach; a world-class
line-up of music across stages in Broadbeach and Surfers as well as
contemporary dance, Indigenous art, visual and public art installations,
theatre and circus as well as film and food.
On the beach children of all ages loved ‘Impulse’ – 15 illuminated musical see-saws forming an interactive art playground on Surfers Paradise Beach. Everyone become musicians and artists as they took a ride and used their movement and rhythm to activate lights and sounds of the see-saw.
Another highlight was the biggest karaoke event of the year; Giant Sing Along came to the Gold Coast as part of Festival 2018. Everyone was invited to come and sing their heart out in a field of microphones on Surfers Paradise beach to celebrate the Games. Giant Sing Along featured a huge screen with the words of your favourite songs, as voted by the people of the Gold Coast, as well as auto-tune to make you sound great.
Broadbeach
was Kim’s destination for the rest of the Festival. Broadbeach had two distinct activated spaces,
Kurrawa Park and Surf Parade (between Victoria and Queensland Avenues),
providing audiences with arts experiences and entertainment from 9am to late
every day. Internationally-renowned Gold Coast musician Amy Shark was just one
of the headliners on a stage dedicated to Queensland music talent, supported by
a line-up of local music artists including Lasting’s, Ella Fence and Eliza and
The Delusionals. For extreme action, everyone headed to the open air 360-degree
Roundabout Stage. There you could see a cutting-edge global line-up of dance,
urban circus and physical theatre. All performances were short, sharp and
energetic – 20 to 40 minutes of adrenaline-fuelled wonder.
Kim
did a few shifts at Jarjums Learning Space. When inside the interactive space
designed, created and built for Jarjums by Jarjums (children) and Inspired by
their everyday lives. Jarjums Learning
Space offered engaging and culturally exciting ways for visitors to connect
with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture.
In her downtime she checked out Arboria, which was a journey through the dazzling maze of winding paths and soaring domes, and awakens your sense of wonder. Since 1992 over three million visitors in more than 40 countries across five continents have immersed themselves in the spectacular, luminous world of Arboria - Architects of Air. For the first time, the Gold Coast experienced this special installation. Kim also helped out The Whale's Tale, which was a children play with a sick whale, a lost navigator, and ridiculous doctor.
In her downtime she checked out Arboria, which was a journey through the dazzling maze of winding paths and soaring domes, and awakens your sense of wonder. Since 1992 over three million visitors in more than 40 countries across five continents have immersed themselves in the spectacular, luminous world of Arboria - Architects of Air. For the first time, the Gold Coast experienced this special installation. Kim also helped out The Whale's Tale, which was a children play with a sick whale, a lost navigator, and ridiculous doctor.
The second week of the
Commonwealth Games I started my shift as a Supports Service Basketball
Volunteer. There were 16 basketball teams that competed at GC2018 and faced off
in the opening matches in Townsville and Cairns, with the Semi and Finals held
at the Gold Coast Convention Centre. Basketball Queensland in conjunction with
FIBA coordinated the running and it was great to catch up with some old
faces.
On the first night my duties were marshalling athletes, checking accreditation, assisting in the training/warm-up area, transporting team equipment throughout the venue, aiding liaison officers to escort teams and technical officials around the venue and field of play. I spent most time in the training/warm-up area which all four women’s teams used for warming up, stretching and cooling down. Canada vs England were up first, then Australia vs New Zealand. Some great banter between club players Australia and New Zealand made warm-up extremely funny.
On the first night my duties were marshalling athletes, checking accreditation, assisting in the training/warm-up area, transporting team equipment throughout the venue, aiding liaison officers to escort teams and technical officials around the venue and field of play. I spent most time in the training/warm-up area which all four women’s teams used for warming up, stretching and cooling down. Canada vs England were up first, then Australia vs New Zealand. Some great banter between club players Australia and New Zealand made warm-up extremely funny.
While I was enjoying mingling with the players Kim was helping out at the Roundabout stage where Yes, We Dance, made up of ten everyday Gold Coasters, each with extraordinary ways of expressing themselves through dance, are matched with two choreographers and an ensemble of hundreds of community dancers. This then followed up with the BLOCK, which was a powerful fusion of dance and circus that pushes the limits of both art forms. With its daring physicality, split-second timing and thrilling feats, BLOCK left audiences gasping.
The next night I was lucky to
be working Field Of Play for the Women’s Bronze and Gold medal games. I was
stationed in the lead up corridor that brought the teams out to the court. Then
while the game was active I had to prevent everyone coming onto the court. The
great part was I got to see the whole two games and because the angle of the TV
cameras, didn’t have to worry about getting on TV. Bonus I could take a couple
of photos without being seen. It was a
great night with the Aussie girls winning easily. Quick turnaround helping get
the podiums out for the medal ceremony I headed into Broadbeach to catch up
with Kim.
Kim was helping backstage with Kate Miller-Heidke, Ella Fence and Regurgitator, yes Regurgitator!. Regurgitator started in 1994 and quickly established themselves as an articulate and witty purveyor of the Australian music scene. They assembled a mishmash of funk, punk, pop, electronics and any other style that stuck to the sides, with unmitigated irony and a geekish nature. Kim loved more multi-award-winning singer songwriter Kate Miller-Heidke, who is renowned for a style that crosses contemporary pop, folk and opera. She has released four critically acclaimed studio albums, and produced the multi-platinum hit singles 'The Last Day On Earth' and 'Caught in the Crowd'.
Kim was helping backstage with Kate Miller-Heidke, Ella Fence and Regurgitator, yes Regurgitator!. Regurgitator started in 1994 and quickly established themselves as an articulate and witty purveyor of the Australian music scene. They assembled a mishmash of funk, punk, pop, electronics and any other style that stuck to the sides, with unmitigated irony and a geekish nature. Kim loved more multi-award-winning singer songwriter Kate Miller-Heidke, who is renowned for a style that crosses contemporary pop, folk and opera. She has released four critically acclaimed studio albums, and produced the multi-platinum hit singles 'The Last Day On Earth' and 'Caught in the Crowd'.
A huge shout-out goes to Ridgeview Retreat, which was an outstanding
luxury dog boarding retreat located in Bonogin, just above The Observatory at
Reedy. The guys did a great job looking after our Pup, Shari for a couple of
days while we volunteered.
The outstanding efforts of the Gold Coast 2018
Commonwealth Games’ Games Shapers were recognised at a celebration event. Premier
Annastacia Palaszczuk joined the Governor-General of Australia Sir Peter
Cosgrove, Minister for the Commonwealth Games Kate Jones, GOLDOC Chairman Peter
Beattie and the Acting Mayor of City of Gold Coast Donna Gates at the Broadwater
Parklands.
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