Children to have say on mascot as clock counts down to 2026
The Victoria 2026 Organising Committee will seek the public’s help to find a Commonwealth Games mascot that represents all that's unique about Victoria and Australia – and will get classrooms, children and families across the state involved in the choice.
In line with Games tradition, the Organising Committee has also revealed it will reveal a special Countdown Clock on 17 March 2024, in partnership with Longines, to celebrate two years to go until the Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony at the Melbourne Cricket Ground – and is considering different locations and potential designs.
The Organising Committee will sound the market for an experienced firm to deliver the Victoria 2026 mascot strategy and Countdown Clock, plus a schedule of public events and activations to build excitement ahead of the Games.
Organising Committee CEO Jeroen Weimar said “the mascot, the Countdown Clock and our public events in the lead-up to the Games will be the first tangible things that many people will experience about the biggest event ever held in regional Victoria.”
The opportunity will be published on buyingfor.vic.gov.au and eProcurement platform to Marketing Services Register suppliers this week, with information also available on the Victoria 2026 Business Hub.
A symbol for all
Organisers are planning for children and young people to have a genuine role in suggesting and selecting the Victoria 2026 mascot – though not necessarily as part of a formal competition.
The mascot will celebrate the Games and represent all that is unique about Victoria and Australia. It is scheduled to be finalised and revealed to the public in the second half of 2024.
“Some of the best ideas for a mascot to represent the Victoria 2026 Commonwealth Games won’t come from a committee – they will come from a classroom.”
Previous Commonwealth Games mascots include the colourful bull Perry at Birmingham 2022, and blue koala Borobi at Gold Coast 2018.
The mascot for the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games, was a south-eastern red-tailed black cockatoo named Karak.
Counting down
The Countdown Clock is a long-standing feature of the lead up period to the Commonwealth Games.
The Birmingham 2022 Longines Countdown Clock became a community meeting point in the city’s iconic Centenary Square.
For the 2018 Games, the 5.2m tall Countdown Clock on the Gold Coast took 800 hours to build and was overseen by the Swiss watchmaker. It was unveiled by children from a local primary school.
When to have your say
The mascot will be finalised and revealed to the public in the second half of 2024, and the process for the public to have their say isn’t yet open.
“We’re not asking everyone to mail us their ideas today”, Jeroen Weimar said.
“That time will come in future and there will be plenty of notice and information about how you can have your say”, Jeroen Weimar said.
How businesses can be involved
Businesses who want a shot at delivering the mascot strategy, Countdown Clock and events and activations for the Victoria 2026 Commonwealth Games are encouraged to view the information at www.buyingfor.vic.gov.au when it is released.
Victoria 2026's Business Hub will have more information about how all businesses can put themselves in the best position for success.
In March, Games Organisers and the Victorian Government revealed their three-year procurement pipeline for goods and services to host the major event – representing more than 1,200 individual procurement activities and covering everything from golf balls to gold medals.
“Like all our more than 1,200 procurement opportunities coming down the pipeline, we’re keen to see as many local businesses as possible put their best foot forward,” Weimar said.
