newy.com.au – Police and Special Olympics athletes carried the Flame of Hope from Nobbys Beach to Fletcher Park on Monday afternoon, ahead of next week’s national games in Melbourne.
The Newcastle leg of the Law Enforcement Torch Run was held at 4pm on Monday. Inspector Deb Harrison, who leads the Newcastle committee, told newy.com.au that 54 police officers walked or jogged alongside the athletes.
The 2026 Special Olympics Australia National Games will be held in Melbourne from 19 to 23 October, bringing together more than 850 athletes with intellectual disability, autism or both from across Australia.
NSW Law Enforcement Torch Run president Scott Whyte told newy.com.au the flame began its journey on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast on Friday. NSW organisers received it at Tweed Heads on Sunday before runs in Coffs Harbour and Port Macquarie.
After Newcastle, the torch is due to reach Gosford and Sydney Olympic Park on Tuesday, then travel through southern NSW and the ACT. Mr Whyte said the NSW team would hand it to Victorian torch run organisers at Wodonga on Friday, ahead of the games’ opening ceremony.
Mr Whyte said the relay aimed to highlight the needs of Special Olympics athletes and draw attention to the national games, rather than collect donations.
He said the organisation’s main fundraising method was regular contributions from serving police officers’ pay. About 4,000 officers donated, raising an average of $10,000 a fortnight to support Special Olympics athletes.
Inspector Harrison said her committee had also supported Polar Plunge events, raising $24,000 last year.
“This year we raised in excess of $84,000, so we are super proud of what we’ve achieved so far.”
NSW committee member Don Stuart said people wishing to donate could find a fundraising page on the Law Enforcement Torch Run website.
