Ceremonial Support to M2006

The Australian Government is providing Commonwealth assets from a range of agencies to assist Melbourne 2006 Corporation (M2006) and the Office of Commonwealth Games Coordination (OCGC), the Victorian Government’s Games organisers, in staging a successful Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games.

Within this overall support, the Department of Defence, under Operation Acolyte, will be providing ceremonial support, in the form of band support and a ceremonial training team.

The military bands providing musical support are:

• Royal Australian Navy Band Detachment, HMAS Cereberus;
• Australian Army Band, Watsonia; and
• Royal Australian Air Force Central Band, Laverton.

The bands have already been involved in supporting the Games by:

• the Army Band (Watsonia) recording national anthems which could be played during medal ceremonies, and performed at the Premier’s Commonwealth Games Dinner on 9 November 2005; and
• the RAAF Central Band (Laverton) who performed as part of the ‘Team 2006 Unit’ event to launch the M2006 Volunteers program at Telstra Dome on Saturday 10 December 2005.

The bands will continue to contribute to M2006 by:

• the RAN Band Detachment (HMAS Cereberus) is to play at Cowes Beach, Phillip Island on Wednesday 1 March at the passing of the Queen’s Baton Relay; and
• the three bands will combine to perform as a Massed Band Concert at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl on Friday 24 March, as part of a series of concerts at that venue for ‘Festival Melbourne 2006’.

Meanwhile, from February 2006 a team of twelve ceremonial experts will train M2006 volunteers on the conduct and protocols of flag and medal ceremonies, to assist the volunteers in feeling confident about their ceremonial duties during the Games.

The Department of Defence, through Operation Acolyte, will assist in providing world class support to ensure a safe, secure and successful staging of the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games.

For further information:

Defence support to the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games:

Fact Sheet One:
Operation Acolyte: What is Operation Acolyte?

Fact Sheet Two:
Operation Acolyte: Support to Security at M2006

Fact Sheet Four:
Operation Acolyte: General Support to M2006

Australian Government Support to the Games
Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games
Office of Commonwealth Games Coordination or Festival Melbourne 2006



Information current at 16 February 2006