Community
12 October, 2026
Flame of Hope to shine in Goulburn ahead of Special Olympics
Goulburn will play a special role in the lead-up to the 2026 Special Olympics Australia National Games when the Flame of Hope arrives at the NSW Police Academy on Wednesday, 14 October.
Goulburn will play a special role in the lead-up to the 2026 Special Olympics Australia National Games when the Flame of Hope arrives at the NSW Police Academy on Wednesday, 14 October.
The city is one of 30 stops on a nationwide torch relay involving law enforcement officers and Special Olympics athletes, who are carrying the flame across Australia ahead of the Games in Melbourne.
The Goulburn leg will begin with a run at the NSW Police Academy at 4.30pm, followed by a special ceremony at the Academy Chapel at 5pm.
The event forms part of the Law Enforcement Torch Run Final Leg, which began on 9 October and involves two teams travelling across the country over 10 days.
The eastern route began in Queensland before entering NSW, travelling through Tweed Heads, Coffs Harbour, Port Macquarie, Newcastle, Gosford and Sydney Olympic Park.
The torch will arrive in Goulburn after an earlier stop in Wollongong on Wednesday, where a ceremony is scheduled for 11.30am.
Following the Goulburn ceremony, the flame will continue to Canberra on Thursday, with a run from Regatta Point to the National Police Memorial, before heading to Wagga Wagga and Albury.
The relay is designed to celebrate inclusion, raise awareness of Special Olympics and recognise the achievements of athletes with intellectual disability and autism.
The involvement of police officers is a longstanding tradition of the Special Olympics movement, with the Flame of Hope symbolising courage, determination and the power of sport to bring communities together.
Goulburn's involvement is particularly significant given its role as the home of the NSW Police Academy, where officers from across the state undertake their training.
The academy, located in McDermott Drive, has been based in Goulburn since 1984.
The flame will ultimately be carried into Margaret Court Arena in Melbourne on Monday, 19 October, for the opening ceremony of the National Games.
The ceremony will feature a parade of athletes, live entertainment and the lighting of the Games cauldron.
The 2026 Special Olympics Australia National Games will run from 19 to 23 October, bringing hundreds of athletes from across the country together to compete in 12 sports.
This year's event also marks the 50th anniversary of Special Olympics in Australia, celebrating five decades of providing sporting opportunities for people with intellectual disability and autism.
The National Games are held every four years and provide athletes with an opportunity to progress towards representing Australia at international Special Olympics competitions.
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