SPORTS have played a pivotal role in the Tatura community. A testament to this was the town’s inclusion in the Olympic torch relay during the 1956 Melbourne Summer Olympics. The occasion drew crowds of spectators, and local children enthusiastically showered the torchbearers with rose petals. (Shepparton City Council Heritage Study Stage IIB)
Originally, the torch was scheduled to pass through Albury-Wodonga, Wangaratta, Shepparton, and the Goldfields. However, unseasonably heavy late spring rains forced a last-minute change of plans. Swollen waterways and blocked roads made portions of the original route impassable, including the planned detour through Byrneside, Stanhope, and Corop. (‘Northern Victoria Burning Bright’, Bendigo Regional Archives Centre 2021).
To ensure the torch’s safe journey, several torchbearers had to be transported by army truck through floodwaters on the Midland Highway. This detour bypassed Tatura, Rushworth, and Colbinabbin. Despite the challenges, the Olympic spirit prevailed as the torch made its way towards Melbourne, much to the excitement of locals who got to be part of the fanfare.
The Olympic torch would return to Tatura a second time, for the 2000 Sydney Summer Olympics.
