Tale Of The Torch And An Enchanted Forest

The Age

Saturday August 12, 2000

By RICHARD BAKER

SEYMOUR

Through misty mountain ash forests and across the once mighty Lake Eildon, travelled the Olympic flame yesterday.

So spectacular was some of the scenery on day 65 of the torch relay, the flame was at times made a secondary attraction.

Croydon athletics coach Les Hillbrick made a lonely sight as he ploughed up a steady incline in the mountain ash forest outside of Healesville. He was isolated because, for once, the numerous torch relay and emergency vehicles that usually follow the torch bearer were nowhere to be seen.

They had been asked to keep their distance so a production company filming the relay on behalf of the Sydney Olympic Games Organising Committee could film Mr Hillbrick carrying the flame through the enchanting forest.

Later in the day, the torch relay helped to focus attention on one of the state's most attractive and most important bodies of water.

Around the edges of Lake Eildon, turrets of red earth and dead trees that had been under water could be seen, providing stark evidence of the severity of the drought that has gripped Victoria over the past four years.

Amy Russell, 20, carried the flame across Eildon's large dam wall. A former champion junior swimmer, Ms Russell had dreams of competing in Sydney next month. Two years ago those dreams were shattered when she was involved in a car accident.

She was nominated by her uncle, Leigh Thornton, who yesterday watched his niece at least take some part in the Olympic Games.

``She had put so much effort in ... had swum times comparable to Linley Frame but her Olympic hopes were ruined because of the accident. So this is something," Mr Thornton said.

Yesterday's major celebrations were in Alexandra and Seymour, where big crowds turned out to see community cauldrons be lit. The nearby town of Yea also had a big celebration.

Today the torch relay travels through Ned Kelly country, stopping in Benalla for a lunch celebration and Wangaratta for a night party.

Tomorrow, in what will be one of the highlights of the Victorian leg of the relay, the flame will be skied down the slopes of Mount Hotham at dusk.

The torch leaves Victoria on Monday night, when it crosses the Murray River into Albury and begins its journey around New South Wales.

© 2000 The Age

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