Richard Cashman, Director, Australian Centre for Olympic Studies
Rob Harris, Director, Australian Centre for Event Management, University of Technology Sydney
With a Foreword by Sandy Hollway AO

Australia is the first country to develop an international Olympic caravan to cater for the requirements of large-scale sporting and cultural events. Australians have promoted innovations in ceremonies, sports presentation, the design and look of events, new forms of media and other areas.

The caravan was a direct product of the acclaimed Sydney 2000 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Many individuals and firms responded to post-event opportunities to develop a brand that was exceptionally strong. As a result, Australians have dominated this field over the past decade.

Since the caravan has largely operated offshore and outside the usual parameters of business, the achievements of many Australians have not been properly understood and recognised. The story of the Australian Olympic caravan is one that needs to be told because it has enhanced the country’s reputation abroad and contributed to the knowledge economy. The caravan demonstrates how this new form of legacy has emerged over a long period through imagination, inventiveness and a ‘can do’ spirit.

Book chapters

Reflections on the Caravan
Genesis of a New Industry
Government Backing
The Salt Lake City 2002 Winter Olympic Games and the Manchester 2002 Commonwealth Games
The Athens 2004 Olympic Games
The Torino 2006 Winter Olympic Games, the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games and the Doha 2006 Asian Games
The Beijing 2008 Olympic Games
The Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games, the Shanghai 2010 World Expo, the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympics, the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games and the Guangzhou 2010 Asian Games
The London 2012 Olympic Games
The Future of the Caravan
Lessons Learned and the Way Ahead

Rob Harris

The Australian Olympic Caravan from 2000 to 2012