The Queen's Baton Relay has been the traditional curtain-raiser to the Commonwealth Games since 1958. It symbolises the gathering of people from across the Commonwealth. On 14 March 2005 Her Majesty placed a message in the baton at Buckingham Palace, signalling the start of a journey of almost 180,000 kilometres. The baton's journey to the opening ceremony took exactly one year and one day, arriving at the Melbourne Cricket Ground during the opening ceremony of the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games on 15 March 2006. It was the first baton relay to visit all 71 nations of the Commonwealth. Athletes and non-athletes alike shared the privilege of carrying the baton. In Bendigo two sites were chosen for events. Bendigo Stadium: Basketball and Wellsford Rifle Range: Full Bore Shooting.Gold baton in cardboard tube.Top of box: Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games / Queen's Baton Relaycity of greater bendigo sport, gold coast 2018, queen's baton relay, 21st commonwealth games

Maiden Gully is a distinctive community located on the western edge of Bendigo, known for its spacious living and strong local identity. Properties are typically no smaller than one acre, with most homes situated on even larger plots, offering residents ample space and privacy. The area features a variety of architectural designs, including neo-Colonial, neo-Victorian, neo-Federation, neo-Edwardian, and modern ranch-style homes, reflecting a blend of historical and contemporary influences. Residents strongly identify Maiden Gully as a separate community rather than a suburb of Bendigo, valuing its blend of country lifestyle and urban conveniences. The community includes heritage sites such as Pratty's Patch, a stone cottage over 130 years old, and a name rooted in the area's gold rush history. Maiden Gully offers a modern school with over 200 pupils, a central shopping area with essential services (general store, post office, take-away, bottle shop, service station), a conservation-focused public hall, and a leafy caravan park.Natural Setting. The community is set among rolling hills and ironbark forests, providing a scenic and tranquil environment.Maiden Gully combines the best aspects of rural and urban living, making it a unique and self-sufficient district on Bendigo's outskirts. Maiden Gully is described as a peaceful, close-knit community with a strong sense of identity, distinct from nearby Bendigo. Residents value the area's spaciousness, natural beauty, and welcoming atmosphere. The town's center is defined by its school and a central shop, with additional businesses like transport services and a modern sports complex. Leon and Kim Holt, who run the postal agency, note the demanding nature of their business but appreciate the supportive community. While the postal agency serves about 300 people, the actual population is believed to be much higher, stretching from West Bendigo stadium to Marong. The area has seen growth, with new housing developments and an expanding community. Residents like Lyn and Lorna Wilkinson have deep family ties to Maiden Gully, appreciating both its history and its evolving character. Gerard and Carol Kelly, owners of a historic stone cottage restaurant, share their positive experiences and ongoing investment in the community, including renovations and a new tavern-style license. Many residents express a strong sense of belonging and attachment to Maiden Gully, often contrasting it with previous places they've lived. Overall, the document paints Maiden Gully as a growing yet tight-knit suburb where community, history, and personal connections are highly valued.Small Towns With Big Hearts Maiden Gully. Series of photos and information about Maiden Gully. Pictures by Bill Hawking. Written by Wayne Gregson. This item contains the following documents: 8091.601k Part of Page 36, the Bendigo Advertiser Wednesday October 27 1993 8091.601l Part of Page 36, the Bendigo Advertiser Wednesday October 27 1993 8091.601a Black and White photo of the General Store, Post Office and Takeaway taken from the playground opposite. Contact BHS for Details 8091.601b Black and White photo of Left to Right: Hayley Wilkinson (2 Years), Lorna Wilkinson and Lyn Pearce; all next to the Post Box. Contact BHS for Details 8091.601c Black and White photo of Front: Hayley Wilkinson (2 Years), Karina Wilkinson (4.5 years) and Right: Devin Pearce (4 years). Contact BHS for Details 8091.601d Black and White photo of Carol and Gerard Kelly owners of Pratty's Patch Restaurant. Contact BHS for Details 8091.601e Black and White photo of typical house and street scene. Contact BHS for Details 8091.601f Black and White photo of Carol and Gerard Kelly owners of Pratty's Patch Restaurant with stone workers. Contact BHS for Details 8091.601g Black and White photo of the Calder Highway. Contact BHS for Details 8091.601h Black and White photo of the playground opposite the General Store. Contact BHS for Details 8091.601i Black and White photo of Leon and Kim Holt, owners of the Maiden Gully shops. Contact BHS for Details 8091.601j Black and White photo of the Maiden Gully Primary School. Contact BHS for Detailsnewspaper, bendigo advertiser, maiden gully

Volleyball has been played in regional Victoria since the early-1960’s. During those early days, most competitions, like the founders of our great sport, were run by, or in conjunction with, the YMCA. Competitions were running at the Ballarat School of Mines and the YMCA’s of Bendigo, Geelong and Warrnambool. In August 1966, an invitation was extended by the Victorian Amateur Volleyball Association to play in the first State-wide event at Monash University. Geelong and Bendigo accepted the invitation with Melbourne represented by Sisu. For Bendigo players at least, this was the first exposure to ‘international rules’, which prevented upward scoops with open hands, introduced an action called a ‘dig’ and seemed to penalise most overhead actions using the fingers as ‘double hits’! Over the next few years, the sport expanded through the YMCA movement with weekly competitions starting up in Ararat, Warrnambool and Latrobe Valley. The Victorian Regional Council of YMCA’s proposed the first Victorian YMCA Championship in Warrnambool on 30th March 1968 with an entry fee of $4.00 per team. The sport continued to grow with additional regional associations affiliating with the Victorian Amateur Volleyball Association (now VVI) who provided the coaching and refereeing assistance needed to raise the standard of play. In 1970, the YMCA Championships started to give way to the Victorian Country Championships with the first ever event held in Bendigo. In 1973, a re-organisation of the VAVA saw the proposal to create separate Victorian Country and Metropolitan Volleyball Councils. The VCVC was established in 1974 and took over the organisation of the Victorian Country Championships. For the next 10-12 years, the Country Championships grew in stature with the inclusion of two divisions for open men and women and junior divisions for boys and girls. Representative teams successfully contested Australian Country Championships between Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales on several occasions. In October 1985, the VCVC voluntarily wound up the Council and handed the responsibility for the Country Championships back to Volleyball Victoria, who by that time had full-time State Executive and Coaching Directors. Since that time, the Long Weekend in June has continued to be the date of the major annual volleyball event for most regional associations, even though in 1986 the Junior Country Championships were wound up in favour of state and national schools events. A number of regional associations have ceased to exist, as have a number of regional tournaments. Regional leagues were created in both the Gippsland and Central, North-West regions, with Gippsland the only one to survive. Some associations have successfully competed in the State League competitions at various times. Following the experience gained by a number of regional administrators working on the Sydney Olympic Games, a proposal to revamp the Victorian Country Championship was put to VVI in early 2002. Later that year, the Volleyball Victoria Country Championships Commission was formed to implement the recommendations of the review and take control of the event into the future. These championships now provide regional players and officials an opportunity to participate in a consistently well-managed event, using many international protocols and a high standard of presentation. Without doubt, this event now ranks as one of the best volleyball events in Australia. Source: 2022 Country Championship regulations The management of the Country Championships by the Victorian Country Championship Commission certainly achieved the objective of raising the standard of presentation, and delivering a consistently high quality event. However, the demands on Host Associations began to take their toll, with several Associations declining the opportunity to host the event due to the high workload. Similarly, the workload of the volunteer Commissioners also took its toll, with the Commission unable to fill casual vacancies. In 2023, the Commission handed the organisation of the Championships back to VVI, who with paid staff, were better equipped to manage the event.This item contains Correspondence of the Council in 1979 and reports on the Country Championships for that year; it includes the following documents: 11171.9a Draft VAVA Constitution 11171.9b VAVA Draft Constitution Changes 11171.9c VAVA Executive meeting April 1979 11171.9d Seymour Amateur Volleyball Association re affiliation 11171.9e VAVA Minutes and Agenda Executive Meeting April 1979 11171.9f Disqualification of Players in Melbourne from all associations 11171.9g Latrobe Valley Volleyball association executive list 11171.9h Country Championships 1979 team entry forms 11171.9i Graham Watson transfer form 11171.9j Volleyball Equipment price list 11171.9k VAVA News to all country associations 11171.9l Swan Hill Association re score pad order 11171.9m Letter from Ararat Student re history of volleyball in Australia 11171.9n Letter to Hamilton Volleyball (Memorial Stadium) - promotional posters 11171.9o Draft No 2 VAVA Constitution 11171.9p From Goulburn Valley Association - referee request 11171.9q To Goulburn Valley Association Requesting Player registration details 11171.9r Letter explaing new VAVA draft constitution 11171.9s Australian Volleyball Federation Secretary's Report 1978-79 11171.9t VAVA Agenda for Sept Executive Meeting 11171.9u VAVA Notice of Executive Meeting Aug 1979 11171.9v Letters from members available for match against south Australia 1-2 Dec 11171.9w Australian Volleyball Federation Mailing List 11171.9x Paperwork for VAVA Executive Meeting Sept 1979 11171.9y VAVA Notice of AGM Nov 1979 11171.9z Bendigo YMCA Volleyball association Executive list 11171.9aa VAVA Executive Meeting Details Oct 1979 11171.9ab VAVA Executive Minutes and notices Nov 1979 11171.9ac Australian Volleyball Federation new National Executive Director 11171.9ad VAVA Request fro secondhand equipment 11171.9ae VAVA Minutes of Special General meeting to amend the constitution 11171.9af Notice of VAVA Executive meeting 11171.9ag The Ray Riordan Sports Admin Newsletter 11171.9ah The Ray Riordan Sports Admin Newsletter 11171.9ai VCVC Minutes of General Meeting April 1979 11171.9aj VCVC General Meeting Notices Nov 1979 11171.9ak VAVA 1979 registration Fees 11171.9al VAVA Minutes of Executive Meeting Feb 1979 11171.9am VAVA Minutes of Executive Meeting March 1979 11171.9an VAVA Proposed Referee Commission 11171.9ao VAVA Survey of Facilities 11171.9ap VAVA Office-bearers 1979 11171.9aq Bendigo Trophy Centre Change of Owners 1978 11171.9ar VAVA Promotional Material Resources 11171.9as VAVA Resource Material 11171.9at Department of Youth Sport and Recreation Training Video Pamphlet 11171.9au VAVA Grants for 1979-80victorian country volleyball council, vcvc, victorian amateur volleyball association, volleyball victoria

Volleyball has been played in regional Victoria since the early-1960’s. During those early days, most competitions, like the founders of our great sport, were run by, or in conjunction with, the YMCA. Competitions were running at the Ballarat School of Mines and the YMCA’s of Bendigo, Geelong and Warrnambool. In August 1966, an invitation was extended by the Victorian Amateur Volleyball Association to play in the first State-wide event at Monash University. Geelong and Bendigo accepted the invitation with Melbourne represented by Sisu. For Bendigo players at least, this was the first exposure to ‘international rules’, which prevented upward scoops with open hands, introduced an action called a ‘dig’ and seemed to penalise most overhead actions using the fingers as ‘double hits’! Over the next few years, the sport expanded through the YMCA movement with weekly competitions starting up in Ararat, Warrnambool and Latrobe Valley. The Victorian Regional Council of YMCA’s proposed the first Victorian YMCA Championship in Warrnambool on 30th March 1968 with an entry fee of $4.00 per team. The sport continued to grow with additional regional associations affiliating with the Victorian Amateur Volleyball Association (now VVI) who provided the coaching and refereeing assistance needed to raise the standard of play. In 1970, the YMCA Championships started to give way to the Victorian Country Championships with the first ever event held in Bendigo. In 1973, a re-organisation of the VAVA saw the proposal to create separate Victorian Country and Metropolitan Volleyball Councils. The VCVC was established in 1974 and took over the organisation of the Victorian Country Championships. For the next 10-12 years, the Country Championships grew in stature with the inclusion of two divisions for open men and women and junior divisions for boys and girls. Representative teams successfully contested Australian Country Championships between Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales on several occasions. In October 1985, the VCVC voluntarily wound up the Council and handed the responsibility for the Country Championships back to Volleyball Victoria, who by that time had full-time State Executive and Coaching Directors. Since that time, the Long Weekend in June has continued to be the date of the major annual volleyball event for most regional associations, even though in 1986 the Junior Country Championships were wound up in favour of state and national schools events. A number of regional associations have ceased to exist, as have a number of regional tournaments. Regional leagues were created in both the Gippsland and Central, North-West regions, with Gippsland the only one to survive. Some associations have successfully competed in the State League competitions at various times. Following the experience gained by a number of regional administrators working on the Sydney Olympic Games, a proposal to revamp the Victorian Country Championship was put to VVI in early 2002. Later that year, the Volleyball Victoria Country Championships Commission was formed to implement the recommendations of the review and take control of the event into the future. These championships now provide regional players and officials an opportunity to participate in a consistently well-managed event, using many international protocols and a high standard of presentation. Without doubt, this event now ranks as one of the best volleyball events in Australia. Source: 2022 Country Championship regulations The management of the Country Championships by the Victorian Country Championship Commission certainly achieved the objective of raising the standard of presentation, and delivering a consistently high quality event. However, the demands on Host Associations began to take their toll, with several Associations declining the opportunity to host the event due to the high workload. Similarly, the workload of the volunteer Commissioners also took its toll, with the Commission unable to fill casual vacancies. In 2023, the Commission handed the organisation of the Championships back to VVI, who with paid staff, were better equipped to manage the event.This item contains Correspondence of the Council in 1977 and reports on the Country Championships for that year; it includes the following documents: 11171.6a Letter from the Broken Hill YMCA Volleyball Association re tournament 11171.6b Letter from VAVA re State Coaches costs 11171.6c Circular of Fund Raising Proposals 11171.6d Letter from VAVA re Broken Hill Tournament 11171.6e Letter re amendments to the VAVA constitution 11171.6f Letter from Albury Wodonga wishing to enter the Country Championships 11171.6g Letter from Geelong Volleyball registration for Country Championships 11171.6h Circular - Sale of Rule Books 11171.6i Letter from VAVA re Rothmans Coaches Tour 11171.6j Letter from VAVA Secretary re championships, coaching and etc. 11171.6k VCVC Notice of AGM 11171.6l Letter from Latrobe Valley Volleyball with proposals for running the Country Championships 11171.6m Letters from Swan Hill and Ballarat re country Championships 11171.6n Letter from Goulburn Valley Volleyball 11171.6o Quotation from Waterwheel Press Shepparton 11171.6p Letters from VAVA to VCVC 11171.6q VCVC President's Report 1976-1977 11171.6r Letter from the Goulburn Valley Amateur Volleyball Association 11171.6s Letter from the Ararat and District YMCA Youth Clubs 11171.6t Letter from VAVA re Swan Hill Volleyball Association 11171.6u Letter to VAVA re Horsham and Warracknabeal Volleyball 11171.6v Letter to VCVC from Swan Hill Volleyball 11171.6w Letter from Wanganui Park High School 11171.6x Letter from the Ballarat Association 11171.6y Letter from Goulburn Valley Volleyball re coaching assistance 11171.6z Letter from Mrs Lozenicins re her son Arijs death 11171.6aa Letter from Ballarat Volleyball re Thomas Santamaria Coaching 11171.6ab Letter from Bob Kenter Latrobe Valley Volleyball Association (contact the BHS for details) 11171.6ac Letter from the Australian Volleyball Federation to VCVC President - news 11171.6ad Letter from VAVA to VCVC 11171.6ae Letter from VCVC President re coaching calendar for the year 11171.6af Letter from Wallabies Volleyball Club re Morwell tournament Grand Final 11171.6ag Letter from Goulburn Valley re Under 17 Country Championships 11171.6ah Letter from Warrnambool Association re services of Thomas Santamaria 11171.6ai Wallabies Volleyball Club re Russell Newman elected as Secretary 11171.6aj Letter from the Hamilton Memorial Stadium re their competition 11171.6ak Letter from Bendigo re rules of the Country Chamionships (Contact BHS for details) 11171.6al Letter to albury Wodonga Association re VCVC office bearers 11171.6am Letter from Murray Mansfield accepting his nomination for the VCVC Executive 11171.6an Letter to Tom Stevens Bendigo - thanks for his eork on the VCVC Constitution 11171.6ao Country Chamionships Entry and Registration forms 11171.6ap Procedure and Report on the VCVC 1977 Country Championships 11171.6aq Men's and Women's Volleyball Drawvictorian country volleyball council, vcvc, victorian amateur volleyball association, volleyball victoria

Volleyball has been played in regional Victoria since the early-1960’s. During those early days, most competitions, like the founders of our great sport, were run by, or in conjunction with, the YMCA. Competitions were running at the Ballarat School of Mines and the YMCA’s of Bendigo, Geelong and Warrnambool. In August 1966, an invitation was extended by the Victorian Amateur Volleyball Association to play in the first State-wide event at Monash University. Geelong and Bendigo accepted the invitation with Melbourne represented by Sisu. For Bendigo players at least, this was the first exposure to ‘international rules’, which prevented upward scoops with open hands, introduced an action called a ‘dig’ and seemed to penalise most overhead actions using the fingers as ‘double hits’! Over the next few years, the sport expanded through the YMCA movement with weekly competitions starting up in Ararat, Warrnambool and Latrobe Valley. The Victorian Regional Council of YMCA’s proposed the first Victorian YMCA Championship in Warrnambool on 30th March 1968 with an entry fee of $4.00 per team. The sport continued to grow with additional regional associations affiliating with the Victorian Amateur Volleyball Association (now VVI) who provided the coaching and refereeing assistance needed to raise the standard of play. In 1970, the YMCA Championships started to give way to the Victorian Country Championships with the first ever event held in Bendigo. In 1973, a re-organisation of the VAVA saw the proposal to create separate Victorian Country and Metropolitan Volleyball Councils. The VCVC was established in 1974 and took over the organisation of the Victorian Country Championships. For the next 10-12 years, the Country Championships grew in stature with the inclusion of two divisions for open men and women and junior divisions for boys and girls. Representative teams successfully contested Australian Country Championships between Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales on several occasions. In October 1985, the VCVC voluntarily wound up the Council and handed the responsibility for the Country Championships back to Volleyball Victoria, who by that time had full-time State Executive and Coaching Directors. Since that time, the Long Weekend in June has continued to be the date of the major annual volleyball event for most regional associations, even though in 1986 the Junior Country Championships were wound up in favour of state and national schools events. A number of regional associations have ceased to exist, as have a number of regional tournaments. Regional leagues were created in both the Gippsland and Central, North-West regions, with Gippsland the only one to survive. Some associations have successfully competed in the State League competitions at various times. Following the experience gained by a number of regional administrators working on the Sydney Olympic Games, a proposal to revamp the Victorian Country Championship was put to VVI in early 2002. Later that year, the Volleyball Victoria Country Championships Commission was formed to implement the recommendations of the review and take control of the event into the future. These championships now provide regional players and officials an opportunity to participate in a consistently well-managed event, using many international protocols and a high standard of presentation. Without doubt, this event now ranks as one of the best volleyball events in Australia. Source: 2022 Country Championship regulations The management of the Country Championships by the Victorian Country Championship Commission certainly achieved the objective of raising the standard of presentation, and delivering a consistently high quality event. However, the demands on Host Associations began to take their toll, with several Associations declining the opportunity to host the event due to the high workload. Similarly, the workload of the volunteer Commissioners also took its toll, with the Commission unable to fill casual vacancies. In 2023, the Commission handed the organisation of the Championships back to VVI, who with paid staff, were better equipped to manage the event.This item contains Correspondence of the Council in 1979 and reports on the Country Championships for that year; it includes the following documents: 11171.18a Letter to Tomas Santamaria re South Australian Country Match 11171.18b VCVC Letter to all associations re Expo Displays 11171.18c Letter to Hamilton Volleyball Association Re South Australia Match 11171.18d To the VCVC Senior Squad Members re availability to compete 11171.18e Notice of AGM Nov 1979 11171.18f Letter to Port Augusta re possible interstate challenge 11171.18g Letter to Hamilton Volleyball Association re affiliation 11171.18h Letter to Bob Kenter Latrobe Valley re resignation form VCVC Presidency 11171.18i To Latrobe Valley Volleyball Association regarding trophies for the country championships 11171.18j To the South Australian Country Volleyball Council re championships 11171.18k Letter from the South Australian Country Volleyball Council 11171.18l Letter re Country Championsips 1979 at Shepparton 11171.18m VAVA Secretary's Report 1979 11171.18n VAVA Annual Statements Oct 1979 11171.18o VAVA Executive Meeting Minutes Sept 1979 11171.18p VAVA AGM Minutes Dec 1979 11171.18q VCVC AGM Minutes Dec 1979 11171.18r VCVC Minutes Nov 1978 11171.18s VCVC Secretary's Report 1978-79 11171.18t VCVC Minutes of General Meeting Wangaratta April 1979 11171.18u VCVC Record Secretary's Report 1979 11171.18v To all Associations re Chinese Volleyball Team Visit 11171.18w To all associations re Country Championship Bonds 11171.18x From Bendigo Volleyball Association re costs for the country championships 11171.18y To all associations re annual player registration update 11171.18z VCVC Financial statement 1978-79 11171.18aa First Victorian v South Australia country Championships Report Dec 1979 11171.18ab Bendigo YMCA Volleyball Association re AGM in Bendigo on Dec 09 1979 11171.18ac Australain Volleyball Federation re changes to the constitution 11171.18ad Submission for Veterans Open tournament 1980 11171.18ae Letter from Seymour Amateur Volleyball re AGM Attendance Nov 1979 11171.18af Australian Volleyball Federation re Grading of referees 11171.18ag Ballarat Amateur Volleyball Association request for the country championships 1980 11171.18ah Australian Volleyball Federation re Sports Development Program 1978-79 11171.18ai Shire of Nathalia re new stadium 1979 11171.18aj Bendigo YMCA Association re taking part in the Sports Expo 11171.18ak VAVA to all associations - copy of the Australian Rule Book 11171.18al Official interpretation of Rule 21 11171.18am Official interpretation of Rule 21 11171.18an Submission for Veterans Open Tournament 11171.18ao Schedule for the Olympic Village Aug 1979 11171.18ap VAVA Sports Assistance Program grants 1979-80 11171.18aq Olympic Supporters Club of Australia Campaign 11171.18ar Letter re State Squad Representatives form VAVA 11171.18as Latrobe Valley Volleyball Association re monies owed from Geelong and Wangaratta 11171.18at Re visit by the Chinese Team 11171.18au Latrobe Valley Volleyball Association re visit by the Chinese Team 11171.18av From South Australian Country Volleyball Confirmation of interstate games 11171.18aw From Hamilton Volleyball re interest in affiliation 11171.18ax From Goulburn Valley Volleyball Report on the 1979 Open Country Championships 11171.18ay Letter from Hamilton Volleyball with registration fee 11171.18az VAVA re State Director of Coaching and Women's State Coach 11171.18aaa VCVC Country Championships Goulburn Valley Report 11171.18aab Wangaratta Volleyball U17 Country Chamionships Report 11171.18aac From Bob Kenter President - letter of resignation April 1979victorian country volleyball council, vcvc, victorian amateur volleyball association, volleyball victoria