Local legend George Lowrey will be among the select Australians to carry the Queen’s Baton as it makes its way across the country to the Commonwealth Games 2018 Opening Ceremony on the Gold Coast next year. The 96-year-old was chosen for his achievements and contributions to the Inverell community which include 78 years of curating the Inverell tennis courts, often on a volunteer basis.
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The lifetime member gave up playing tennis three years ago but is still actively socialising with “the old players” while also serving on the clubhouse bar during functions and participating in monthly meetings. Also a former cricket player with the Inverell team, Mr Lowrey said he believes that “sport is good for you”.
“It’s good for exercise and it’s good for making friends,” he said. Mr Lowrey was nominated by 14-year-old tennis player, Ben Butler, who told him of the win when the two friends met at the tennis court. The news something of a shock to the club’s oldest member: “It hasn’t got through to me yet. I was worried about my age [but] they’ve talked me into it.”
The retired stock transport driver has lived in Inverell all his life except for a four year stint in the army during World War II. During that time he served as infrantryman in New Guinea where part of his duties involved driving bull dozers and trucks to ensure supplies got through to the troops. At one point, an exploding bomb or grenade sent shrapnel into his lower right leg creating an injury that still flares up “every 12 months” but failed to stop his playing sport once back in Australia.
“I played mixed tennis,” he said recalling that it was after the war when the Evans Street tennis courts were built: “Five at first and then they built them up to about 21 – I know every bit of them.”
A passion for sports was also shared by Mr Lowrey’s brother, Bert, who served as an official batonbearer in the Sydney Olympic Games: “He was a very good cricketer,” Mr Lowrey said explaining how that relay course brought the official baton through Inverell while the Commonwealth Games route will only come as close as Armidale around the start of February 2018.
It will set off from the UK’s Buckingham Palace on march 13 and travel to Australia via Africa, the Carribbean, the Americas, Europe, Asia and New Zealand.
It will be delivered on time to the XXI Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony on April 4, 2018. Inside the baton is a message from Queen Elizabeth II that calls the Commonwealth’s athletes to come together in peaceful and friendly competition. After a 388-day journey, through all nations and territories of the Commonwealth, that message will be read aloud to officially open the Games.
