Do you remember when the Olympic flame came to town? It certainly does not feel like 25 years ago to many of us.
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The year 2000 saw the dawn of a new millennium, the Y2K bug threat crushed, the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax and the Sydney Olympics among events of the year.
In January of 2000, after weeks of keeping secrets, Echuca-Moama and district residents chosen as community torch-bearers in the Sydney Olympic torch relay were finally able to share their joy at being selected.
It was universal joy from those selected to carry the flame through the region.
After months of preparation and planning, the torch arrived in the region, travelling through Gunbower, Torrumbarry and Echuca on July 25; Echuca, Rochester, Kyabram and Lancaster on July 26; and Rushworth and Colbinabbin on July 27.
A special Olympic cauldron was even set up on the bow of the PS Pevensey to carry the flame along the Murray River.
Echuca’s Russell Parsons was chosen to light the celebration site cauldron at Victoria Park.
Mr Parsons was accompanied by Lockington’s Laura Hopkins on the run into the park.
‘’I suppose you watch these things on television and read about it in the paper, and you get blasé about it,’’ he said at the time.
‘’It couldn’t be that good, but it is that good... it really is that good.
‘’The feeling that I had with Laura running through the people on the oval was just unbelievable.’’
Another Echuca runner, Peter Mitchell, said the experience rated right up there with ‘’playing in a winning grand final and the birth of my children’’.
Thousands braved the winter chill to see the Olympic torch on its trip through the region, school children waving flags and proudly displayed their signs.
We have dived into the Riv archives and pulled out some photos from the event.
We hope you enjoy looking back at some of the photos captured from the relay.